Bayonetta 2: Heaven & Hell
by PhantomHeartless5
Summary: Bayonetta never thought she'd see the day when she'd have to work with angels. When a freak accident sends Pit and Dark Pit into her world, the trio journey to save the soul of Bayonetta's friend Jeanne from Inferno, inadvertently uncovering a scheme that threatens her world and theirs. Can they work together to defeat this evil? A novelization of Bayonetta 2 with Pit and Dark Pit.
1. Prologue 1: Out Of This World

**Hello, fellow fanfic authors. This is it. My long awaited** ** _Kid Icarus/Bayonetta_** **crossover. This is actually the 50th story I've written in my career as an author, so what better way to (hopefully) close out 2016 than with this milestone? As I said in my poll regarding this story, this is basically a novelization of** ** _Bayonetta 2_** **with Pit and Dark Pit tagging along for the ride. Hopefully, I can do both games some justice. This is the first of a four-part prologue, so sorry in advance if there isn't much action. I sincerely hope you enjoy it. Please read, review, and enjoy.**

 **Disclaimer:** ** _Kid Icarus_** **and** ** _Bayonetta_** **are the properties of their respective owners. I own nothing.**

 _ **Bayonetta 2: Heaven & Hell**_

It had been five months since Pit had defeated Hades, the God of the Underworld. Since then, peace has mostly reigned in Skyworld. The Underworld Army had been mostly quiet with their leader gone. The human world had been rebuilding itself after the war. Even Viridi's Forces of Nature had been relatively peaceful, though that was only after Pit faced Viridi in a one-on-one duel wherein if she lost she had to vow to never again attack humanity. Honestly, it was getting a little dull now. There was some part of Pit that wanted something extraordinary to happen.

He really should be careful what he wished for.

Today Pit and Palutena were at Dyntos' Workshop. They were accompanied by Viridi and Dark Pit, who recently joined the Forces of Nature. Dyntos wanted to show them a new invention of his. The four of them sat down as Dyntos put the finishing touches on the device. It was a large golden ring with strange, glowing runes hooked up to a machine. "And... Done!" Dyntos declared. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you... The Dimension Eye!"

"Cool!" Pit said. "What does it do?"

"I was getting to that, you little halfwit." Dyntos replied. "You know there are other worlds besides our own, right? This little gizmo basically lets me see into those other worlds."

"So basically, we'll be able to see into the worlds of _Metroid_ , _Fire Emblem_ , _Zelda_ , _Mario_ , _Kirby_ , and other worlds like that?" Palutena asked. "Fascinating."

"That's really awesome!" Viridi said. "I always wanted to see what Hyrule is like."

"You mean you just want to spy on Link." Pit teased.

"Hey!" Viridi snapped, a blush coloring her cheeks. "Well, you do have a crush on Link." Palutena said. "This might be your chance to finally see him." That prompted laughter from Pit and Palutena. Viridi just pouted, the blush still on her face. Dark Pit, however, wasn't laughing. His gaze was focused on the Dimension Eye.

"Still though, this is quite a revolutionary device, Lord Dyntos." Palutena said. "This could open up endless possibilities! You've really outdone yourself this time!"

"Well, you always say that, but thank you anyway." Dyntos replied.

"Okay, if everyone is done having their nerdgasms, can we please address the 500 ton elephant in the room?" Dark Pit asked. "Is this thing safe?"

"No need to be rude, Pittoo." Viridi scolded.

"I'm not being rude." Dark Pit replied. "I'm just stating the obvious: This thing is untested. How can we be sure it's safe?"

"Well, the young angel has a point." Dyntos said. "This _is_ a prototype, after all. And when it comes to interdimensional phenomenon, anything can happen. That's why we're doing this little test drive. I want to see if it's safe before I show it to the world. I'm going to fire it up now. Everyone, stand back." Dyntos teleported to the control room and began typing on the keyboard. The runes on the ring began glowing as the Dimension Eye whirred to life.

Lightning bolts struck the center of the ring and formed a portal. The portal expanded until it was the size of the ring and soon an image came into focus. The image showed Mario fighting Bowser in his castle. Oohs and ahhs came from the others as they watched the fight unfold. The image then shifted to one of Mega Man making his way through Wily Castle. The next image was one of Kirby lazily napping about in Dream Land. It then changed into an image of Link riding through Hyrule on his trusty steed Epona. The final image was one of Star Fox flying through the galaxy on their Arwings.

"This is amazing!" Pit exclaimed.

"Beautiful!" Palutena said.

"Awesome!" Viridi said.

"Not bad." Dark Pit said with a small, but impressed smile.

"Glad you enjoyed the show." Dyntos said. "But now it's time to turn this off." Dyntos pulled the lever to shut down the Dimension Eye, but nothing happened. He pulled the lever several times to no avail. The God of the Forge furrowed his brows and muttered a few curses to himself. "Something wrong, Lord Dyntos?" Palutena asked.

"Darn thing won't shut off." Dyntos replied. "Must be a faulty wire. Nothing I can't fix. Hang on." Dyntos kneeled down and began fiddling with the wires. "Okay... Almost... Got it!" But just then, a surge of lightning erupted from the control console, sending Dyntos flying back with a scream. The portal within the ring contracted for a moment, then expanded to a size even greater than the ring and began sucking everything in.

"Dyntos, what the hell's happening?!" Viridi shouted.

"The Dimension Eye's going haywire!" Dyntos replied as he frantically fiddled with the controls in a desperate attempt to regain control of the device and stabilize it. "It's causing a tear in space that's gonna suck everything in!" The vacuum force grew stronger in that second and Pit screamed as he soon found himself being sucked in. Dark Pit quickly grabbed his hand, but was quickly sucked into the portal along with Pit!

"Guys!" Viridi shouted as she transformed her fingers into vines and grabbed Dark Pit's wrist. Growing roots from under the rim of her dress to stabilize herself, Viridi tried her best to pull the two angels out of the portal. Palutena conjured a chain of light in her hand and lassoed it around Dark Pit's other wrist. "Keep pulling, Viridi!" Palutena said. "We gotta get them out of there!"

"I'm trying!" Viridi said as the two goddesses continued to pull. Despite their best efforts, the two angels were pulled into the portal, which quickly closed behind them and shattered Palutena's chain of light. Viridi screamed in pain when the portal closed and chopped off her vines. "Viridi! Are you alright?!" Palutena asked.

"I'll live." Viridi replied as she quickly regenerated her fingers. "What happened to Pit and Dark Pit?"

"They got sucked into that portal." Palutena said. "Lord Dyntos, what happened?"

Dyntos groaned as he got to his feet, still recovering from the lightning shock. "An energy surge caused the Dimension Eye to overload." he said. "It caused a tear in space-time that sucked our two angels in."

"Can you bring them back?" Palutena asked, panic-stricken.

"Well, it'll take a while." Dyntos replied, pointing to the ring, which was heavily damaged by the portal. "The feedback from the energy spike damaged the portal. We'll have to fix the device first."

"I'll call Arlon and Phosphora." Viridi declared. "They're both tech heads. They should be able to help fix the device."

"Well, actually, that's the least of our problems." Dyntos said.

"What do you mean?" Viridi asked.

"I didn't program a fixed set of coordinates." Dyntos explained. "I was just letting the Dimension Eye view worlds at random. Because of that, they could've been sent to any of the practically infinite worlds out there. Fixing the device is the easy part. Finding them is the hard part."

"Well, we'll cross that bridge when we get there." Palutena said. "For now though, let's focus on fixing the Dimension Eye." She then turned towards the ruined device. " _Pit. Pittoo. Be safe. Wherever you are._ " she thought to herself.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, in another world...**_

A portal ripped into the sky and Pit and Dark Pit found themselves falling through it. Pit quickly activated his Pegasus Wings and began to slow his descent. After the war with the Underworld Army, Pit went to Lord Dyntos and asked him to repair the Three Sacred Treasures as well as give him a device that would allow him to summon the Treasures at will. He also decided to wear the Pegasus Wings with him at all times so that he can have a way to fly by himself if he were ever separated from Palutena.

As he descended to the ground, he turned to find Dark Pit doing the same, his wings glowing purple. "Hey, since when can you use the Power of Flight by yourself?" Pit asked.

"You not the only one with Pegasus Wings." Dark Pit replied. "I asked Dyntos to make me a pair. I might be serving under a goddess now, but I'm still my own angel."

"Huh." Pit looked around and he soon realized that they were in a bustling city. The streets and sidewalks were filled with people going about their daily lives. Based on all the Christmas decorations and all the people buying gifts, it seemed to be in the middle of the holiday season. "Pittoo. I don't think we're in Skyworld anymore."

"Brilliant deduction, Sherlock.' Dark Pit replied, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "What gave it away: The fact that we're in a city, or the fact that we, oh I dunno, _FELL THROUGH A PORTAL IN THE FREAKING SKY?!_ Oh, I _knew_ this was a bad idea! I _knew_ something like this would happen! But did _anyone_ listen to _me?_ No!"

"Oh calm down, Captain Complainer." Pit said. "What's done is done. Whining isn't gonna get us anywhere. We need to first figure out where the heck we are. Then we need to figure out how do we get home."

"Well, one thing's for sure: Standing around here won't do anything." Dark Pit said. "Let's start asking around." And with that, the two angels began to explore the city, unaware that they were taking their first steps to what would be their biggest adventure yet.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: World of Chaos: Next time on _Bayonetta 2_! Bayonetta is out and about doing some last minute Christmas shopping with Enzo. But her plans are put on hold when the Angels of Paradiso attack. Time for the Umbra Witch to spring into action once again! **


	2. Prologue 2: World of Chaos Pt 1

**Previous Chapter Recap: On the last chapter of Bayonetta 2! Pit, Palutena, Viridi, and Dark Pit were visiting Lord Dyntos' workshop to view the unveiling of his new invention: The Dimension Eye, a device that would allow him to view other worlds. However, during the testing, the Dimension Eye malfunctions and rips a hole in space-time that sucks Pit and Dark Pit in. Now stranded in a strange new world, the two angels begin to explore and find a way back home.**

In a remote forest, there lied the remains of what used to be Jubileus the Creator, having crashed to Earth after the climatic battle with Bayonetta in space. Among the wreckage was a man. The man had pale, albino skin with matching white hair. His outfit consisted of a tattered white robe with golden patterns. This was Balder. The former CEO of the Ithavoll Group, the last of the Lumen Sages, and bearer of the Right Eye of Light.

Just as Jubileus crashed through the forest, Balder used the last of his power to create a protective barrier and shield himself from the brunt of it. When Jubileus crashed, he was thrown clear from the wreckage and knocked unconscious. Balder slowly rose to his feet. That's when he felt a searing pain from within him, as if something was clawing its way out of him. A blue, transparent, human-shaped aura soon forced its way out from his body. It was a being of pure evil. One he once made a vow to keep contained before its corrupting influence twisted his mind.

There wasn't much time left. Balder was dying and once he did, this evil would merely escape to find a new host to infect. He couldn't let that happen! He had committed a number of atrocities, but this would be his final act of redemption. If he was to die, he would drag this demon to oblivion with him. "You will not escape this fate!" Balder declared. He reached for his monocle, which was broken and damaged during his fight with Bayonetta, and placed on his left eye. "We will perish together!" With one final surge of power, he reabsorbed the entity into his body.

Having exhausted the last of his strength, Balder fell to the ground, his monocle falling off his face and rolling on the ground. As he lay slowly dying, the Lumen Sage couldn't help but think back to a happier time. A time when it was just him, his wife Rosa, and his beloved daughter Cereza. He prayed that this could help make up for all the suffering he caused. A satisfied smile crept on his weary lips. "My dear, sweet child." he said, his voice now reduced to a strained whisper. "At last, you have fulfilled your promise to me. Fear not, for I am always watching over you."

With that, he closed his eyes in content as his body dissolved into particles of light. And so marked the loss of the Right Eye of Light and its bearer, the last of the Lumen Sages.

* * *

 _ **Months Later...**_

It was Christmas Eve in New York City. Everyone was out and about the city, doing some last minute Christmas shopping as they prepared for the holidays. The streets were filled with people carrying presents as they traveled from store to store. The buildings and streets were filled to the brim with Christmas decorations galore. Yes, the yuletide spirit was truly in the air.

One man in particular was feeling the Christmas spirit. Enzo. A part-time undertaker, a part-time information broker, and a full-time deadbeat (though to his credit, he was trying to turn that last one around). Enzo was your typical Italian gangster. He was a portly man dressed in a purple fur coat with a white scarf hung around his neck. Underneath, he wore a grey suit with a striped pink shirt and green tie underneath. He wore black gloves with a silver ring on each finger. He also wore sunglasses and a white fedora.

Today, Enzo was out doing some last-minute Christmas shopping for the missus and the kids, Ed and Edna. His shopping was almost complete, but it would go a helluva lot smoother if it wasn't for... _**Her.**_ For now, Enzo was watching the big-screen TV on one of the buildings. The news was on and reporting on a series of natural disasters that plagued different parts of the region in recent months.

" _The government has organized a team to investigate the continued reports of unusual weather and strong earthquakes occurring throughout the region._ " the anchorwoman, Mollie Anderson, said. " _Officials are currently trying to determine the source of these phenomena as citizens nervously clamor for answers. Our report on the regional disasters, 'Nature Unleashed', will continue after these messages_."

Immediately after, a commercial aired, advertising a toy jet modeled after the Platinum Stars, the military's aerial acrobatics unit. The toy was priced at an expensive $30.00. That was what he was supposed to get for Ed and Edna. His thoughts of a nice Christmas with his family came to a crashing halt when _someone_ slammed a present onto his already towering stack of presents.

That someone was a tall woman whose outfit consisted of an elegant white dress with grey, elbow-length gloves and a white, wide brimmed hat. She also wore a fur mink draped across her shoulders. Roses were the main theme of the dress. She had two roses on the shoulders, two roses on the hips and the dress was held together by a gold rose near the cleavage. This was Bayonetta, the last of the Umbra Witches, bearer of the Left Eye of Darkness, and Enzo's "friend" for lack of a better term. Her former beehive hairdo was now reduced to a simple pixie cut using her magic.

Things have been pretty peaceful since her climatic battle with Father Balder and Jubileus the Creator. The Angels of Paradiso have been mostly quiet. Honestly though, things were getting a little boring now. Part of her hoped for something more exciting to happen. Today, she was out doing her Christmas shopping and getting things ready for the Christmas party at her apartment later. That's when she ran into her old friend Enzo again. Since they were both doing the same thing, she figured they should just shop together. "Together" meaning she picks out the gifts, and he carries everything. Some might say she's treating him like a slave, but she would say she's trying to teach him how to be a gentleman.

Bayonetta popped a lollipop, her favorite candy, into her mouth. "You know what I need?" she asked. "Some heels without guns. You don't mind if we make a quick stop, do you Enzo?"

"Do you know what day it is?!" Enzo asked, obviously annoyed. "Here I was shopping, minding my own business, then you show up and turn me into a damn porter! Seriously, Bayonetta! You still haven't paid me back for the car!" Bayonetta suddenly stopped in front of Enzo, causing him to bump into her. The Umbra Witch turned to face Enzo.

"Now now, if that any way to speak to an old friend?" she asked in a mocking, chiding tone, as if she was a mother scolding a disobedient child. She walked around Enzo. "Besides, I did that job for you. For free, I might add." She pressed her lollipop to Enzo's lips. "Do I _really_ have to tell everyone how you grabbed onto my leg, sobbing like a schoolboy?" She placed the lollipop back in her mouth and continued walking.

Enzo gave a frustrated sigh. "This is why I can't have good things." he said as he followed after her. "You're some piece of work, you know that? If you weren't already lined up to go to Inferno, you'd be well on your way with all the shit you pull. Dressing up like a nun, just so you can off some angels and keep the underworld happy." Unfortunately for him, Bayonetta either was too far away to hear him, or just wasn't listening.

"Hey, I'm talking to you!" he yelled, causing a present to fall on his face and mouth. He turned his head around and continued talking. "Shit... but if its that or getting torn limb from limb in whatever circle of Inferno you witches go to when you break the contract... Fuggetaboutit! I'd off the winged bastards all damn day!" As he was talking, he was sidetracked by an attractive young woman with blonde hair walking past him. He scooted close to her and attempted to grope her, but she turned and yelled at him to back off. As he tried to follow after Bayonetta, he bumped into another person.

"But what the fuck you wasting your time trying to send some schmucks off to the afterlife for?" he asked. Bayonetta placed another present on his growing pile of Christmas gifts. "Done and done." she said. "Let's go home, Enzo."

"Hey, wait a second! I ain't done here!" Enzo shouted. "If I don't get what I came for, I'm gonna be the biggest mutt in the city!"

"And what is it you came to fetch, my dear?" Bayonetta asked. Enzo laughed sarcastically in response. "Real funny." he said, walking backwards into the street. "I know better than to tell you a damn thing. I'll never hear the fucking end of it." Enzo turned around just in time to see a woman on a motorcycle heading straight for him! Startled, Enzo threw his presents into the air and fell to the ground, shouting "MOTHERFUCKER!", as he frantically backed away.

The woman on the motorcycle continued to inch closer and closer Enzo, seemingly intent on grinding his genitals into paste with her bike, which was black and christened with the title "Angel Slayer". Suddenly, she did a 360 spin and parked her bike in front of him. The woman on the bike had long white hair and wore a red jumpsuit. This was Jeanne, a fellow Umbra Witch and Bayonetta's childhood friend. The two were enemies at first, due to the machinations of Father Balder. But after being freed from Balder's mind control, she helped Bayonetta defeat him and Jubileus and the two have since rekindled their friendship, now living together in the same apartment.

Bayonetta and Jeanne nonchalantly outstretched their hands and caught all the falling presents. "You always know how to make an entrance, Jeanne." Bayonetta said as she and Jeanne casually tossed Enzo's presents aside. "A rare sight to see you in the city."

"Just had something I had to look into." Jeanne replied. "Cereza, you haven't felt anything strange recently?" Bayonetta was merely a nickname given to her by Rodin. Her real name was Cereza.

"Now that you mention it..." Bayonetta began, placing a hand on her chin to think. "...I still haven't quite figured out how a broke, bumbling wise guy managed to turn himself into a semi-respectable family man."

"Fuggetaboutit!" Enzo replied. "And what's this 'Cereza' shit? You're about as sweet as my nona's grappa, you know that? Some witch with amnesia goes around calling herself a weapon, and it turns out she really got stuck with a kid's nickname. That shit's rich, I tell you what." Ignoring Enzo, Jeanne continued. "Our friends in Paradiso are far too quiet... I'm sure you've noticed."

"True, there hasn't been much angel hunting to do." Bayonetta replied.

"But they're not the only ones." Jeanne continued.

"Pray tell." Bayonetta said.

"Our friends down south seem to be a bit upset as well." The two witches looked down at Madama Butterfly and Madama Styx, the demons they made a contract with in exchange for their powers. They took the form of their shadows when not in battle. Their conversation was soon interrupted by the anchorwoman Mollie Anderson.

" _And now in lighter news_." she began. " _The annual Holiday Parade is being held today. City police have closed off roads to prepare for the massive influx of merrymakers expected to take in this year's festivities, set to be headlined by a flyover from the military's aerial acrobatics unit, 'Platinum Stars'. Authorities tell Channel 2 news that this year's parade may break all-time attendance records_."

As she was talking, the Platinum Stars flew overhead at supersonic speeds, the mild sonic boom that causing Bayonetta's hat to fall off. As Enzo watched the jets fly off, he was immediately reminded of his Christmas shopping. "Whoa, shit! The Platinum Stars!" Enzo exclaimed. "Crap! I better hurry up and get Ed and Edna's presents, or I'm gonna get it!" With that, he made his way to the nearest toy store.

Bayonetta grabbed her hat and placed it back on her head. "We'll talk later." Jeanne said. "I'll see you back home."

"Don't forget to get the things for the party." Bayonetta replied. Jeanne smiled, put on her goggles and sped off on her motorcycle, nearly causing a collision of cars in her wake. That Jeanne. Ever the daredevil. As Jeanne rode off, Bayonetta couldn't help but think on her words. Ever since she defeated Father Balder, she had been feeling rather strange. As the bearer of one of the Eyes of the World, her senses were far more attuned than normal humans. And she could feel that something was... _off_. As if the world was completely out of balance. Could it be because of the loss of the Right Eye of Light?

Meanwhile, across the street, Pit and Dark Pit were continuing to explore the city. So far their efforts were fruitless. The most they could ascertain about their predicament was that they were in a place called New York City. But they still had no idea how to get back to Skyworld. When they asked people, they either gave the two angels strange looks, or outright laughed in their faces.

"This is hopeless!" Dark Pit groaned. "As far as these guys are concerned, we're just kids in costumes. We're never gonna get back to Skyworld at this rate!"

"We can't give up hope!" Pit replied. "We just have to keep searching. Someone here has to know a way to get us back home." That's when they saw Bayonetta standing across the street. "Let's try asking her." Pit and Dark Pit walked up to the woman. "Excuse me, ma'am." Pit said. Bayonetta looked down to see two boys right in front of her. They were twins by the look of it and they were both dressed like angels. "Well, what delightful little cherubs!" she said. "Heading to a Christmas party, boys?"

"Well, not exactly." Dark Pit said. "We're new to this place. We're trying to find our way back to Skyworld. You wouldn't happen to know how to get there, huh?" Bayonetta blinked a few times, then broke out into laughter. "Well, you certainly are in character!" she said. "Tell you what, I have a soft spot for kids." She reached into her purse and pulled out two $100.00 bills. "Try not to spend it all in one place. Have a Merry Christmas." With that, she walked away, leaving the two angels dumbfounded.

"Well that... Worked well." Dark Pit said.

"Hey, look on the bright side." Pit replied. "We can buy something to eat. I'm getting kinda hungry."

"You're always hungry." Dark Pit said. "But you're right. Can't keep going on an empty stomach. There should be a burger joint nearby." With that, the two angels walked to the nearest restaurant. Meanwhile, as Bayonetta walked away, Madama Butterfly stirred within her shadow. "Something on your mind?" she asked.

"There was something about those two boys I don't like." the demon replied. "Something... _holy_."

"Well, children are naturally innocent." Bayonetta said. "Perhaps that's what you're sensing. Besides, you _have_ been feeling rather peckish lately. There haven't been many angels to kill."

"I suppose you're right." Madama Butterfly conceded. " _Still though..._ " she thought to herself.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: World of Chaos Pt 2: Angels on the attack! Bayonetta's Christmas preparations come to a crashing halt when the Angels of Paradiso launch an attack on the city! Bayonetta manages to thwart the attack, but a demonic summoning goes wrong, and ends up costing Jeanne her soul. Can Bayonetta stop her out of control demon from destroying the city?**

 **OOC: Sorry for the slow pacing. The real action starts on the final part of the prologue.**


	3. Prologue 3: World of Chaos Pt 2

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last ttime on _Bayonetta 2!_ It's Christmas Eve in New York City and Bayonetta and Enzo are preparing for the holidays with some last minute Christmas shopping. During which, Jeanne arrives in the city to warn Bayonetta that the Angels of Paradiso are a bit too quiet. Dark times are on the horizon. Find out, now!**

" _Whassa matter with you?!_ " Enzo shouted. He was in the toy store trying to get a model jet for Ed and Edna... with dismal results. "I told you what I'm after!" he ranted. "A jet! I want a toy jet! You know, the kind with wings... Flies in the sky? No, I'm not buying any damned angels. Yellow, blue, I don't care what color they are! I learned my lesson with those bastards, you hear me?! Just a normal, damn jet _please!_ " As if on cue to accentuate his point, the Platinum Stars flew overhead.

"You hear that?!" Enzo asked. "I want one of those! The things flying in the air right now!" Finally caving in, the storekeeper pulled out a model jet. Enzo smiled in response. "There! That's the one!" he said. "That's the biggest one you got in the store, right?" the shopkeeper nodded. "Good. Wrap it up nice, will you? It's a present, for God's sake." Enzo turned and looked out the window to find one of the Platinum Stars' jets heading straight for the building! Panicked, Enzo turned to the shopkeeper.

"Y-You know what, screw the pretty ribbon!" he said. "Just hurry up and put it in the box, will you?" The jet flew closer and closer to the store. "Just put it in the box! Just put it in the box! Just put it in the box!" The jet was seconds away from crashing into the building. " _ **FUCK THE DAMN RIBBON!**_ " he finally shouted. At that moment, Bayonetta jumped in front of store, her hat falling off her head.

"You know, I _try_ to avoid doing this in my Sunday best." she said. Bayonetta kneed the jet into the air, then leaped into the air after it. Landing on the jet, she turned around to find the Angels of Paradiso right behind her. These particular angels were called Acceptance, centaur-like angels with richly-adorned blue armor and a pair of gold-armored wings. Its humanoid torso lacked a head on their shoulders - instead, there was a large face built into their stomachs.

"At least your lot still knows how to make an entrance." Bayonetta said as she did a hair flip.

"It's the slayer of Jubileus!" One of the angels shouted.

"The accursed witch!" Another said.

"For the glory of our fallen goddess, attack!" The angels charged at Bayonetta with spears outstretched. Bayonetta chuckled and drew an Umbran Portal in front of her and leapt through it into the realm of Purgatorio. Sensual moans escaped Bayonetta as her dress was ripped off by the angels' spears, leaving her completely naked save for her shoes. Kicking off of one of the angels, she leapt high into the air and struck a pose in midair as her hair materialized into clothing.

Her new outfit consisted of a skintight bodysuit that had silver chains and jagged patterns resembling roses and thorns are placed along her thighs and stomach. Her gloves had a dark blue colour on the palms with a Renaissance-style flair added onto each wrist. A similar flair was also around the collar on her neck She also wore the Umbran Watch on a chain on her neck. The backs of her legs featured a diamond pattern that ran from her upper thighs down to her heels, which exposed her skin and her shoes featured a new design of black and silver linings with silver figurines somewhat resembling Madama Butterfly-or another female figure-along the back. The outfit also had a cloak that draped over her shoulders and front with points on top of either shoulder. Both the cloak's medallion decorations and her earrings have a blue triangle-like pattern with hexagons.

Bayonetta landed one the back of one of the Acceptances and drew her pistols. She sensually ran her gun along the rear of the Acceptance before giving it a few hard smacks, causing the Acceptance to rear back and charge forward, smacking away the other angels in its path. Bayonetta grabbed on to its wing and held on for the ride like a cowboy on a bucking bronco. As she rode the Acceptance, she opened fire on the other angels with her pistols, even riding the Angel upside-down and firing from underneath.

The Acceptance attempted to impale Bayonetta, but she slid out of the way and grabbed the angel's tail. The Acceptance spun around and flung Bayonetta off, sending her spinning. As she spun around, she fired off more bullets. Some of the angels attempted to impale her with their spears, but Bayonetta leapt into the air, grabbed an angel, and performed a duplex and slammed it to the ground. She got off the angel and kicked it into a crowd of other angels. Another Acceptance attempted to charge her, but she dodged it and performed an axe kick to its back, then kicked it away. As more angels flew to fight her, Bayonetta licked her lips in excitement and dropped into her battle stance.

Guess this wasn't going to be a boring Christmas after all.

Hearing the commotion, Pit and Dark Pit ran outside the burger joint. "What's going on?!" Pit asked. Dark Pit looked up at the sky. "Pit, take a look at that!" Pit looked up and the two angels saw what was apparently a group of... flying centaurs? A group of flying centaurs were chasing after a jet. "Are those flying centaurs?" Dark Pit asked.

"Apparently." Pit said. "Think they're with the Underworld Army?"

"C'mon, do those look like Underworld monsters to you?" Dark Pit asked. "Whatever that case, we gotta stop them before they wreck the city!"

"Right!" Pit replied. The two angels activated their Pegasus Wings and took to the air. Pit drew his Palutena Bow and fired several arrows at the centaurs, but to his shock, they went right through it. "What the?!" he exclaimed. Dark Pit drew his Silver Bow and separated it into twin blades as he slashed at one of the centaurs repeatedly. "Great, how the hell do we fight these things if we can't even touch them?" Dark Pit asked.

Suddenly, a golden portal appeared and a giant hand shot forth and grabbed the two angels. What they saw next was a truly an astonishing sight. The creature before them was Valiance, a Cherub that belonged in the First Sphere rank in the hierarchy of Paradiso. It was a knight-like being with a red muscular body armored in jewel-encrusted gold and ivory. It also had a pair of shining golden wingas. The being's most noticeable feature was its lack of a head. Instead, its face was built into the hilt of the gigantic sword it carried. It held the sword up with its free hand to speak with the angels.

"What are you doing?!" Valiance furiously asked, his tone demanding and authoritarian. "Why are you not joining the fight?!"

"Fight? What fight?" Dark Pit asked. Valiance rolled its eyes and turned around to show the centaurs battling what appeared to be a human woman on a jet. "Why are you attacking that human?!" Pit asked in outrage.

"This human is very dangerous." Valiance replied. "She poses a threat and must be destroyed. As Angels of Paradiso, we are tasked with bringing her to justice."

"Wait, you guys are angels?" Dark Pit asked in disbelief. Looking at this... _thing_ , he wouldn't have called it an "angel" at first glance. "Yes, I am." Valiance said. "And judging from the aura I sense from you, you are angels as well. So I ask once more: Why are you not joining the fight?"

"If you guys are really angels, then you should know that you have no right to meddle in human affairs like this!" Pit said. "Attacking humans is wrong!"

"Hmph, you presume to lecture me?!" Valiance asked in outrage. "If you will not fight, then stay out of the way!" With that, the creature threw the two angels into a nearby building and flew away. Pit growled and began to give chase only for Dark Pit to grab his leg. "Hold it, Pit." Dark Pit said. "Something's up. We don't know the whole story."

"They're attacking humans." Pit replied. "That's all I _need_ to know." Pit yanked his leg from Dark Pit and flew off. "Pit, wait!" the dark angel shouted. Pit, unfortunately, was too far away to hear him. "Stubborn son of a bitch." he muttered as he followed after him, hoping to keep the damned idiot from getting himself killed.

Meanwhile, Bayonetta continued her fight with the angels. She prepared to fire her guns, only for them to explode in her hands, a consequence of channeling her magic through them. Bayonetta threw them aside and leapt at one of the Acceptances, kicking it in the face a few times with the heels on her guns. Unfortunately, the guns fell apart from the strain. "Bloody hell." Bayonetta said. "This is why I _never_ buy anything on sale." And to make matters worse, some of her old gear was broken and had to be repaired by Rodin. Undeterred, Bayonetta kicked off her guns and continued her fight.

On the ground, Enzo was in his newly-repaired car attempting to get out of the city. Unfortunately, in the latest string of bad luck, the car wouldn't start. "Didn't I say it?! This is why I can't have nice things!" he ranted. "Dammit, car! Start already!" At that moment, a tall, well-built black man dressed in a Santa Claus costume and carrying a sign walked in front of the car. "Right on time to deliver a little holiday cheer." the man said.

"Oh, fucking wonderful!" Enzo complained. That's when the man turned around and revealed himself to be Rodin, Bayonetta's mentor and weapons dealer and the proprietor of the Gates of Hell, a local bar on the seedy side of town. In truth, he was a former Angel of Paradiso who was cast into the depths of Inferno for fear he would grow too powerful. At first he was angry about it, but after living in the human realm for years, he grew accustomed to it. It was certainly much better than the rule-obsessed order hierarchy in Paradiso.

"R-R-Rodin?!" Enzo exclaimed. Enzo owed Rodin a lot of money due to never paying his tab when he went to the bar. So naturally, he wasn't too thrilled to see him. "But I don't believe in Santa!"

"Watch your mouth, Enzo." Rodin scolded as he used his fire powers to set his thumb ablaze in purple flames to light his cigar. "Don't want anyone offing you for sacrilege before you paid your tab." Enzo tried to run, but Rodin grabbed him before he could do so. "Un-be-fucking-lievable!" Enzo shouted as Rodin threw him into the passenger seat and got in the car.

As the jet Bayonetta was fighting on flew overhead, Rodin started the car and drove after it. "Motherfucker!" Enzo shouted as he flailed about in panic. Using a nearby police car as a ramp, Rodin drove off of it and drove along the side of the building until he finally caught up to the jet. "Bayonetta!" he called out as he reached into his bag and tossed out a heart-shaped case. The case opened up and revealed four ornate, gem-encrusted blue handguns with gold markings decorating them.

Each of the handguns had their names carved into them. The gun witn the gray gem was named Prelude with the title "An Endless Life". The gun with the red gem was named Minuet witn the phrase "Overseer of the World". The gun with the green gem was named Toccata with the phrase "A Jealous Lover". And the gun with the black gem was named Nocturne with the phrase "The Darkest Night". Collectively, they were known as Love Is Blue, Robin's latest creations.

Bayonetta licked her lips and opened another portal into Purgatorio that her guns flew through. Prelude flew to her left hand, Minuet flew to her right hand, Toccata flew to her left heel, and Nocturne flew to her right heel. Bayonetta leapt into the air and struck a pose in midair. Rodin leapt out of the car, leaving Enzo to deal with the out of control car. "I believe!" he shouted. "I believe!" Eventually, the car fell off the byilding and Enzo fell out of the car. "I fucking believe!" he shouted. Rodin landed on his feet just in time to catch Enzo's falling toy jet. Enzo's car landed behind him and Enzo landed in the car. "Beautiful!" Rodin exclaimed as a piece of wood landed on his head. Rodin was unfazed, however.

Bayonetta landed back on the jet and prepared to fight the angels again. " _Now_ , it's time to be naughty." she said, doing a "bring it" gesture with her gun. The angels charged at Bayonetta and the Umbra Witch opened fire on them. The magically-enhanced bullets pierced through the angels' porcelain skin, killing them instantly as their bodies exploded into gold dust. One of the Acceptances snuck up behind Bayonetta and attempted to swipe at Bayonetta with its spear. Without even turning to look, Bayonetta used Witch Time, a secret by Umbra Witches to control the flow of time. Slowing time to a crawl, Bayonetta dodged the attack and performed a Wicked Punch with one of Madama Butterfly's limbs.

Another angel tried to charge at her, but Bayonetta leapt over it and summoned a spiked cage. Pulling out a three-headed whip, she whipped at the Acceptance's rear and forced it into the cage. Bayonetta snapped her fingers and a spiked plate descended from the cage, killing the angel in a shower of blood and gore. One of the Acceptances tossed its spear at Bayonetta. In one fluid motion, Bayonetta leapt over the spear and grabbed the Acceptance in midair. Summoning a large bear trap with a chain, she wrapped the chain around the Acceptance's hind legs and pulled it into the waiting jaws of the bear trap, the device closing and snapping the angel in half.

At that moment, Valiance had caught up to the jet. The angel elongated its sword in an attempt to impale Bayonetta. Bayonetta blocked the blade with her guns and tossed it aside as she ran to the sword's hilt and kicked Valiance in the face. Valiance attempted to recover, but was swiftly punched into a nearby building by a Wicked Weave, this one made by Jeanne, who flew in on a jet of her own.

The two exchanged glances before flying away with another First Sphere Angel in pursuit. This one was a Glamor. It was a flying, serpentine dragon with an extremely long body covered in gold decorations and jewels with multiple clawed legs like a centipede, with regular halos across its body. It had a large upside-down face below the serpentine hood which it talks through and operates its entire body with.

Bayonetta continued to fight off the angels as she flew across the city on the jet. Glamor flew after the jet, bombarding it with ice shards shot from its mouth which were skillfully dodged. Annoyed, Glamor caught up to the jet and swiped it with its claws. Flying swiftly, it then appeared in front of it and diced the jet into pieces. Using her Witch Time, Bayonetta leapt from piece to piece until she landed on a moving train.

A portal to Paradiso opened behind her and out came a Belief, a Second Sphere Power. It was a towering monstrosity of an angel, almost the same size as the largest of the Beloved variants. It possessed a single tentacled arm for the majority of its attacks and a blank space where its other arm should be. It had a mixture of cherubic faces on its left breast and is adorned in the usual golden armor of most other angels. It also had a pair of small golden wings on its back, but rarely used them.

Chasing after the train, the Belief leapt into the air and tried to strike Bayonetta with its tentacle. Without even turning to look behind her, Bayonetta jumped at the last second to dodge, causing Belief to fall on the train, its tentacle wrapped around it. "Well, that's one way to catch a train." Bayonetta said. "Going my way?" Belief's cherubic face opened up and revealed a large, grotesque set of jaws and attempted to bite her. Bayonetta dodged out of the way and shot at its mouth a few times with her gun. "Now that's just rude." Bayonetta scolded. "Didn't Mummy ever teach you it's impolite to bite?"

"I shall avenge the great Jubileus!" the angel replied.

"Good luck with that." Bayonetta said as she performed a Heel Stomp, using Madama Butterfly's foot to step on the angel's tentacle. The Belief howled in pain as it fell off the train. It quickly got to its feet and chased after the train. Jeanne, flying in behind the Belief on her own jet, fired two missiles at it, causing it to trip and fall over. On instinct, the Belief grabbed on to the edge of the train with its tentacle, causing it to be dragged along for the ride.

Bayonetta smirked and walked along its tentacle until she reached its head. "I love a man with staying power, but sadly, you didn't book this train, so I must sadly ask you to leave." Bayonetta delivered several rapid kicks to the Belief's head, the final one kicking it further away from the train. Bayonetta backflipped onto the train as the Belief rolled along the ground. It bounced back onto its feet and leapt at the train again.

Bayonetta avoided the incoming tentacle swing as the angel ran up to the train, running alongside it. The Belief twisted its body and performed a spinning kick. Bayonetta leapt to avoid the kick and delivered a kick of her own to its face. Reeling from the blow, the angel retaliated with another swing of the tentacle. Bayonetta grabbed the tentacle and threw the Belief on the other side of the train. The angel rolled around a bit as it struggled to get to its feet. The Belief opened its cherubic face and spat a glob of green goo at Bayonetta. Dodging at the last second, she activated Witch Time and shot at the angel's open mouth with her gun.

As the two combatants exchanged blows, in the distance flew Valiance. Having caught up to train, he elongated his sword and threw it at the bridge just as the train reached it, causing the train and pieces of the bridge to be tossed into the air. Bayonetta used Witch Time to keep a part of the bridge suspended in midair. But it wouldn't be long before the effect wore off. At that moment, Jeanne appeared. "That was quick." Bayonetta said. "Did you get everything?"

"Forgot the caviar." Jeanne replied. "Think they're still open?" Just then, the Belief appeared, smashing its way through a train. The angel had a hole in the left eye of its cherubic face. "It's not Christmas without caviar." Bayonetta said. "Let's finish this quickly, then." The Belief made the first move and lunged at the witches. The duo backflipped to avoid the incoming tentacle, then retaliated with a dual Afterburner Kick, knocking it to the ground on its back.

The Belief opened its cherubic face and spat more goops of green goo at them. The two skillfully dodged most of them, but a stray shot managed to hit Jeanne, trapping her on the ground. "Jeanne!" Bayonetta yelled as she attempted to help her, only for the Belief to grab her by the ankle and slam her to the ground. It balled one of its feet into a fist and attempted to crush her, but Bayonetta used Bat Within, her body dissolving into a flock of bats. She then used Crow Within, transforming into a crow and flew around the Belief, firing off feathers at the angel.

Jeanne, meanwhile, broke free from her gooey prison by entering Umbran Climax, a special technique that allows Umbra Witches to use the full extent of their power. Seeing Jeanne, Bayonetta returned to human form and activated her Umbran Climax. With both witches at full power, they charged at the Belief and delivered a flurry of Wicked Weave punches, each punch shattering the angel's marble skin and revealing the grotesque flesh underneath. With one strong punch, the duo pushed the Belief back, knocking it to the ground.

"Time to wrap this up!" Bayonetta said as she grabbed the Belief by its tentacle, spun it around, and tossed it high into the air. Jeanne leaped after it and kicked it towards a nearby building. Using pieces of the railroad as footstools, Bayonetta jumped onto the building. "AVAVAGO!" she shouted. It was an ancient Enochian chant. Bayonetta's outfit dissolved into a spiral of hair that landed on the building and tore open a portal into Inferno.

Out from the portal rose a monstrous dragon head wrapped in Bayonetta's black hair. This was Gomorrah, the Devourer of the Divine, one of the many Infernal Demons that resided in Inferno. "There's a good boy." Bayonetta cooed. "It's dinnertime." Seeing the angel falling towards it, Gomorrah opened its jaws and bit down hard on the angel repeatedly, eventually snapping it in two. Giving a triumphant roar, Gomorrah returned to Inferno...

...And that's when it all went to Hell, metaphorically speaking.

Instead of returning to Inferno, Gomorrah suddenly broke free from its bonds and rose from the portal, unveiling its full body. It was a truly hideous sight. It was a massive purple dragon-like beast with red accents about its body, easily over one hundred feet in length from nose to tail. Unlike classic dragon designs, Gomorrah possesed six legs. However, as only part of its body had pulled out of Inferno, its two legs and tail were still in the portal.

Upon Gomorrah's head rests a strange crown-like ornament with what looked like a face set into the front of it. This was actually the demon's true head with the dragon features only acting as a dummy. Gomorrah's dragon head has four glowing dots on either side that appear like eyes, and its mouth is lined with dozens of fangs that frame a twisted forked tongue. It has long serrated horns on its head, back, and down the sides of its body all the way to the end of its tail with a thick heavy chitinous hide that layers across its body similar to segmented plates of armor.

Gomorrah lunged at the unaware Bayonetta and attempted to devour her. "Cereza!" Jeanne yelled as she pushed Bayonetta out of the way. Unfortunately, she was too late to avoid the incoming demon and Gomorrah swatted her aside, the force of the blow literally knocking her soul out of her body. "No!" Jeanne tried to reach her comatose body, but demonic hands emerged from below and grabbed Jeanne to drag her into Inferno.

"Cereza!" she called out. "No! This isn't how things end!" Bayonetta turned to see her friend's soul being dragged into Inferno. " ** _JEANNE!_** " she yelled as she raced to save her. Alas, she was too late as Jeanne was dragged away. Bayonetta had little time to grieve, however, as Gomorrah breathed a torrent of fire at her. The flames were so hot that it scorched most of the building. Bayonetta dodged the flames and took to the air, manifesting Malphas' wings on her back.

"I'm not one for pets who don't listen to their masters." she hissed as she began to battle her former demonic servant.

On the ground, Pit and Dark Pit were nearby the building. Having lost track of the angels, the two decided to try and minimize some of the damage and keep the humans safe. When the sky began to darken, they turned to the building and saw Gomorrah rise from its portal and began breathing fire. "What is that?!" Pit asked.

"Must be some kind of Underworld monster." Dark Pit replied. "Whatever it is, it's gonna torch the city if we don't stop it."

"My thoughts exactly!" Pit said as he slammed down on the red stone on his brooch. In a flash of golden light, Pit was soon covered in golden armor and a matching gold helmet. On his right hand, he wore a large Mirror Shield. In his left hand, he held a large bow. These were the Three Sacred Treasures, the mighty weapons he once used to slay Medusa, the Goddess of Darkness so long ago. Once destroyed by Hades, the weapons were restored and improved by Dyntos as a reward for Pit's victory over the mighty God of the Underworld.

Dark Pit summoned an orb in his hand and tossed it in midair. In a column of purple light, he was soon covered in black armor with spiked knuckles on his gauntlets and a horned helmet. This was the Ares Armor, one of the legendary Zodiac Weapons and Powers.

"Let's do this!" the twin angels shouted as they flew up to confront the monster.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: World of Chaos Pt 3. Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ Gomorrah on the attack! Bayonetta's former demonic servant is out of control and it's up to her and the angel twins to bring the beast to heel before it destroys the city. Can the trio work together and stop the monstrous Infernal Demon. Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**

 **OOC: Sorry for ending the chapter on yet another cliffhanger, but if I added the fight with Gomorrah and the cutscene with Rodin, it would be way too long. The final part of the prologue will be up soon.**


	4. Prologue 4: World of Chaos Pt 3

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on _Bayonetta 2!_ Angels on the attack! Bayonetta's Christmas shopping comes to an abrupt end when the Angels of Paradiso attack the city. Bayonetta and Jeanne managed to fight the angels, but things go horribly wrong when Bayonetta loses control of a demonic summoning and Jeanne's soul is dragged into Inferno. Now she must stop the out of control demon before it destroys the city. Can she succeed? Find out, now!**

With a furious roar, Gomorrah breathed a torrent of crimson flame at Bayonetta. The Umbra Witch skillfully dodged the flames and opened fire on Gomorrah with her guns. They were mostly innefective against the demon's scaly hide. Bayonetta charged at Gomorrah as the beast raised one of its hind legs to swat her away. Bayonetta avoided the leg sweep and prepared to punch Gomorrah in the face, only for the demon to spit a fireball at her, sending her spiraling backwards.

Gomorrah then began to scale the building with Bayonetta in pursuit. Bayonetta dealt several Wicked Weave attacks at Gomorrah's snout. Gomorrah lashed out and attempted to bite her, but Bayonetta dodged its jaws and gave it a swift kick in the face. Gomorrah roared sharply and began inhaling a huge amount of air, threatening to swallow her whole. Bayonetta fought hard against the suction, but found herself being pulled closer and closer to to the demon's waiting jaws.

Suddenly, Arrows of Light rained from the sky and struck Gomorrah, one of them hitting the beast in the eye. Gomorrah roared in pain as blood leaked from the wound. Bayonetta took advantage of this and delivered several rapid Wicked Weave punches, pushing Gomorrah into the building. She then manifested Madama Butterfly, who delivered a punishing headbutt with such force that Gomorrah's head got stuck in the building.

Bayonetta looked up to find Pit and Dark Pit in their armors flying towards her. "Angels?!" Bayonetta asked. "Who are you?"

"Never mind that!" Pit said. "We have to stop that monster!"

"But-!" Bayonetta started to say.

"Less talking, more monster-slaying!" Dark Pit said. Bayonetta was going to protest further, but shrugged her shoulders, deciding to deal with the immediate threat of Gomorrah. And just in time too, as Gomorrah pulled its head from out of the building and roared at its three opponents. The demon spat more fireballs at the trio, but they artfully avoided all of its shots. Dark Pit pulled out his Dark Pit Staff and fired several shots at the demon. Pit joined in and fired rapid arrow shots from his bow.

Annoyed, Gomorrah belched out another stream of flame. Pit moved in front of Dark Pit and activated his Mirror Shield, creating a large barrier in front of them to protect them from the flames. While he was distracted, Bayonetta delivered an Afterburner Kick to Gomorrah's true head, dazing the beast long enough for Pit and Dark Pit to get in a few good slashes with their blades.

Aggravated, Gomorrah reared back and pulled itself completely out of the portal. The trio moved out of the way as Gomorrah rapidly spiraled up the building. Using its four powerful legs to cling to the top of the skyscraper, Gomorrah renewed its assault, breathing another stream of flame at the trio. The trio moved out of the way and opened fire with their weapons. Gomorrah retaliated with a spread of fireballs.

Pit pulled out his Capricorn Club and batted each of the fireballs back at Gomorrah. He then began firing several spiraling energy blasts from his Capricorn Club. Dark Pit summoned his Black Club and started firing metallic spheres at Gomorrah. Bayonetta then followed up with a Wicked Weave uppercut. Still hanging onto the skyscraper, Gomorrah twisted its body and attacked with a tail whip that the trio barely managed to dodge.

Gomorrah then suddenly leapt off the building. The twin angels moved out of the way as the beast lunged at Bayonetta. Bayonetta flew to the ground with Gomorrah in pursuit and the angels chasing Gomorrah. As Gomorrah inched closer to Bayonetta, Bayonetta turned around and chanted, "ARGEDCO!" Her outfit then dissolved into a spiral of hair that formed a portal to Inferno behind Gomorrah and the two angels.

"Seeing the portal forming behind them, Dark Pit pushed Pit out of the way. "What are you doing?!" Pit asked. "She needs our help!" Seconds later, a large, lion-like demon emerged out of the portal. It had massive, bat-like wings and three heads; two of them double as its front paws. Each of its heads possessed a pair of large, thick fangs and multiple red eyes. Skulls appeared near the eyes of this demon's primary head; atop this head were curved horns. It also had a long, thin tail that ended with a gold stinger. This was Labolas, one of Bayonetta's new demon summons.

Labolas pounced on Gomorrah, sinking its fangs deep into the other demon's flesh as they tumbled down the building and crashed to the ground. Gomorrah faded into nothing while Labolas gave a triumphant roar before disappearing. "Good bad dog." Bayonetta said as she landed next to Labolas, carrying Jeanne's body over her shoulder, which she managed to whisk away to safety before fighting Gomorrah by using an Umbran Portal. "Sorry Gomorrah, I'm afraid you're fired."

"Still think she needed our help?" Dark Pit asked.

"I take back my earlier comment." Pit replied. The two angels descended to the ground behind Bayonetta. "Anyway, we saved the city! I'd consider that mission accomplished!" Pit turned to Bayonetta. "Thanks for the help! You were awesome!"

"Quite." Bayonetta replied. "Now we can focus on more... _pressing_ matters." She drew her gun and rounded on the twin angels. "Who are you two?" Pit and Dark Pit threw up their hands as a sign of peace. "Whoa, easy!" Pit said. "We're not here to hurt you!" To prove this, the twin angels dismissed their armor. "See? We come in peace!"

"Wait a minute..." Bayonetta said as the realization slowly dawned on her. "You two! You were those little cherubs I met earlier! You mean those _aren't_ costumes?! You're _real_ angels?!" Bayonetta had both guns drawn now and was glaring intensely at the twin angels. "Drop the bows." she commanded harshly.

"Whoa whoa whoa!" Pit shouted as he and Dark Pit dropped their bows. "What the heck?! I thought we were on the same side here!"

"Wow, lady, you've got a weird way of saying thanks." Dark Pit said. "We did just help you save the city, after all."

"And that's probably the only thing keeping me from ventilating your skulls." Bayonetta replied. "Now why did you help me?"

"Um... Do we _need_ a reason to help people?" Dark Pit asked. "The city was in danger and we wanted to help."

"Angels normally don't care about humans." Bayonetta said.

"Well, I dunno what kind of angels you mean, but we're trained to help those in need!" Pit declared. Bayonetta stared at the two with a raised eyebrow before ultimately dismissing her guns. "I so don't have time for this." Bayonetta said. "I have to see Rodin. You two, however, are coming with me."

"Hold up." Dark Pit said. "You expect us to go with you after you just waved a gun in our face? That's not exactly how it works." Bayonetta scowled and snapped her fingers. Labolas immediately materialized itself and roared at the twin angels, who huddled together in fear. "You were saying?" she said.

"Okay, we're going with you." Dark Pit said.

"Good plan." Pit said.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, at an unknown location...**_

A strange portal opened up on the floor. What appeared was a young man with pale skin, long white hair, and a golden monocle on his left eye. He wore a white robe lined with gold patterns and red, diamond-shaped patterns that extended into a chain of sorts near his legs and down his sides. Gold, metallic rings appeared at the base of the man's arms, and white boots made from leather with golden-tipped toes covered his feet.

Where am I?" the man asked as he frantically looked around. "Where is Vigrid?!"

"Lumen Sage..." A voice called out. "Is revenge not all you desire?" The man turned behind him to see another man sitting on a throne. He was a dark-skinned man with white hair, blue eyes, a blue diamond symbol on his forehead, and intricate tattoos on his body. His outfit consisted of a long, diamond-shaped, partially opaque cloak that glowed with blue light. The cloak itself was adorned with gold frames, one that covered his face. He also wore golden cuffs on his wrists and ankles and was barefoot.

"Who are you?" the man asked.

"Calm yourself." the cloaked man replied in a slow and deliberate manner. "I am not your enemy. I summoned you here for a reason. I know the one who destroyed your world. I know the one who destroyed your love."

"Who?" The man hissed with barely concealed rage, tightly clenching a small trinket in his hand, a gift from the love of his life. The cloaked man smiled in satisfaction.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, at the Gates of Hell...**_

It was quite the somber mood. Bayonetta sat at the counter, drinking a Mysterious Destiny, her favorite drink. Rodin was at the counter mixing another drink. He had foregone his Santa costume for his usual outfit. Recently, he had adopted a japanese style of wearing a long black open robe with a kimono like collar and an obi like belt. He also wore yellow leather pants with knee protections, and wore black boots with the shoelaces tied. He wore four golden rings and. a golden bracelet in his left hand and left arm, and four silver rings and a silver bracelet in his right hand and on his right arm. He wore a golden necklace and a round golden pendant with a silver adornment, and he had tribal like tattoos on his head and both arms.

"Dead witches get dragged to hell." Rodin said as he walked towards the casket that held Jeanne's body and poured the juice into it. "It is what it is. Jeanne's gonna wander in Inferno suffering for eternity. Them's the breaks." Annoyed, Bayonetta turned and drew her gun on Rodin threateningly. "I didn't ask you to tell me what I already know, Rodin." she said. "Especially if you're going to be flip about it."

"You know better than that." Rodin said as he gently lowered her gun. "You're not the kind to let that sort of summon go out of control, Bayonetta." He poured her another Mysterious Destiny. "Something's up. The balance of powers that keep things in check don't feel right, don't it?"

Enzo, meanwhile, was at the casket looking over the comatose body of Jeanne. "You know, she's pretty hot for a dead chick." he said. "Wasn't a big fan of her shit when she was in the realm of the living, but looking at her now... Nah, still not a fan."

"She's not dead, Enzo." Bayonetta said.

"She's right, Enzo." Rodin said as he poured another drink into Jeanne's casket. "You're only really dead after your soul's been completely absorbed into another realm of the trinity. But that's just a matter of time, cuz I don't no way of saving a soul lost in hell."

"What about the Gates?" Bayonetta asked. "The _real_ Gates of Hell?"

"I can't stop you from trying to use them," Rodin replied. "But I don't think you got a chance down there."

"There's always a chance." Bayonetta said.

"Guess you're mind's made up." Rodin chuckled. "I'll see what I can do about putting her on ice for a while." He pulled Jeanne's Umbra Watch off and handed it to Bayonetta. "You'll need this: The heart of an Umbra Witch. The magic that keep your kind alive in this world for eternities. Should keep her body in this realm stable, but you'll need to reunite this with her soul if you're gonna try to bring her back. I figure you got about a day before it's game over."

As the conversation went on, Pit and Dark Pit sat in the corner of the room like two children awaiting discipline from a parent. As they listened in on Bayonetta's plight, Pit couldn't help but be reminded of the Chaos Kin fiasco and how he risked everything to save Lady Palutena's soul from the Chaos Kin. It stirred sympathy within him. He couldn't let someone else go through what he did.

Dark Pit, meanwhile, was trying to get his light counterpart's attention, to no avail. "Pit, why don't we sneak out of here while they're distracted." he said. "We have no idea who these guys are or what they'll do to us and-" Unfortunately for him, Pit wasn't listening. Instead, the young angel rose to his feet and walked towards Bayonetta and Rodin. "H-Hey! Where are you going?!" Dark Pit frantically asked.

"Hi." Pit said. "I know this is rather awkward, but can we help?" The question caused Bayonetta, Rodin, and Enzo to stop what they were doing and stare at the angels. "So, who are your two new friends?" Rodin asked. "Never pegged you as the type to entertain angels."

"What can I say?" Bayonetta replied. "I have a soft spot for kids. Anyway, these two helped me stop Gomorrah."

"Really?" Rodin asked as he turned to stare at Pit. "And now you wanna help us save Jeanne?"

"Well, your friend's in danger." Pit replied. "I wanna help if I can." At that point, Dark Pit walked up and grabbed Pit's arm. "Excuse me." Dark Pit said. "Pit, can I talk to you?" He pulled Pit to the side. "What the hell are you doing?" he asked angrily Through gritted teeth as he tried to keep his voice at a hushed whisper..

"Um... Offering my help?" Pit replied.

"You got amnesia or something?" Dark Pit asked. "You seem to forget the part where she kidnapped us at gunpoint."

"Because she thought we were the enemy." Pit countered. "I'm trying to convince them we're not."

"We don't know anything about these guys!" Dark Pit protested. "We could be walking into a trap!"

"Duh!" Pit replied. "But we don't have any way of getting home. Maybe tagging along with her might help us." Dark Pit rolled his eyes and let out a frustrated groan, seeing as he wasn't getting anywhere with Pit. "You and your stupid Chronic Hero Syndrome." he grumbled. Pit went back to talk with Bayonetta and Rodin.

"I'm still rather confused." Bayonetta said. "Why _are_ you so eager to help me? I _am_ an Umbra Witch, after all. And I did slay Jubileus the Creator."

"Who's that?" Pit asked. That got a raised eyebrow from Bayonetta. "Jubileus? The Creator? Goddess of Paradiso?" That just got blank looks from the angels in response. "I punched her soul into the sun?"

"You punched a god's soul into the sun?!" Pit asked, astonished. "That's... Pretty awesome. Anyway, the only goddess I serve is Lady Palutena, the Goddess of Light!"

"And I serve... Viridi... the Goddess of... Nature." Dark Pit said reluctantly. Bayonetta and Rodin exchanged confused glances with each other. "Okay, we're obviously not going to get anywhere at this rate, so let's take it from the top." Bayonetta said. "Who are you two and where did you come from?"

"My name's Pit." Pit began. "And Mr. Personality here is Pitt-Ow!" Before he could continue, Pit was punched in the shoulder by Dark Pit. " _Dark Pit_." he said. He already had people in his world calling him Pittoo, he didn't want people in other worlds calling him that. Pit growled at Dark Pit as he rubbed his shoulder and continued. "Anyway, we're not from here. We're from another world entirely. You ever play _Kid Icarus: Uprising?_ "

"Never heard of it." Bayonetta replied.

"It's a game on the Nintendo 3DS." Pit said. "Doesn't anyone play Nintendo?"

"I'm more of an Xbox guy." Rodin said.

"Playstation." Bayonetta said.

"I'm old school. I like Atari." Enzo said.

"Wow. Diverse crowd." Pit said. Dark Pit rolled his eyes and spoke up. "Okay, before this turns into an all out nerd fest, I'd better step in. Bottom line: We're not from here. A freak accident sent us into your world and we're trying to find a way back home and maybe if we can help you with your problem, we can find a way back home. What do you say?"

"So a Quid Pro Quo is it?" Bayonetta asked. "I help you and you help me." Bayonetta turned to Rodin. "What do you think?"

"Hey, like I said, your fights are yours alone." Rodin said. "I just give you weapons and shit." Bayonetta then turned to Madama Butterfly, who resided in her shadow. "What do you think? This won't hurt our contract, will it?" The shadow then came to life in the shape of Madama Butterfly, the only visible feature being her crimson red eyes.

"You know the rules, Bayonetta." Madama Butterfly replied. "You're required to sacrifice angels to Inferno."

"True, I'm required to sacrifice the Angels of _Paradiso_." Bayonetta replied with a knowing smirk. "But these two aren't from Paradiso. I don't think they count."

"Why Bayonetta." Madama Butterfly said. "Are you trying to find a loophole in our contract? How very devilish of you." The shadow stared at the two angels intently, who just froze in anticipation for whatever was to happen next. "Fine, they can come along. Only because they're rather cute... for a couple of guys in skirts. But I warn you: If I even smell a double cross, your wings are going to be our trophies."

"It's a tunic actually." Pit said with a blush. "And you have our word we won't betray you."

"The mighty Bayonetta working with angels?" Bayonetta mused. "I hope hell isn't freezing over. Jeanne might catch a cold."

"Heh. Let me check." Rodin opened a portal to hell and stuck his head inside. Seconds later, a blast of fire forced him to pull out of the portal. "Nope. Still red hot." he chuckled. "Well, now that that's settled, let me give you your new toys." Rodin moved back to the counter and pressed the button underneath it, causing the shelf behind him to split apart and reveal a cache of weaponry all crafted by his hands. There were katanas, chainsaws, guns of various makes and models, an insect-themed bow, flamethrowers, and many many more. "These guys are fresh off the assembly line!" Rodin said. "I even finished polishing off some of your old gear, Bayonetta. In case you felt a little nostalgic."

"Whoa!" Pit exclaimed as he looked at all the fancy weapons. "These look so badass! You actually made all of these?!"

"Yep." Rodin replied. "All of these were made by yours truly." Pit continued to look through the weapons like a kid at a toy store until he came across two laser blades, one red and one green. "Check it out! Are these lightsabers?!" Pit grabbed the green laser blade, named Pillow Talk, and swung it around a bit. "Look at me, I'm Luke Skywalker!"

Dark Pit grabbed the red laser blade, called Bloody Moon, and inspected it. "So what am I, Darth Vader?" he asked.

"Hmm, I think you're more Kylo Ren than Darth Vader." Pit replied. He looked down at the corner and beheld the most astonishing sight: A Chain Chomp. "Is that a Chain Chomp?" he asked.

"Oh, that old thing." Rodin said. "Found him when I was touring Japan. Couldn't turn him into a weapon, so I tried using him as a guard dog. But the damn thing bites at anyone who comes near the club. It's bad for my business. You can have him if you want."

"Cool, my very own Chain Chomp!" Pit exclaimed. "I'll call you Bow-Wow." he reached over to pet the Chain Chomp, but it lashed out and tried to bite him. Pit whacked it in the head with his Scorpio Staff. "Bad Chain Chomp! Settle down!" He commanded. The Chain Chomp growled a bit, but eventually stopped. "Good boy." Pit smiled.

Bayonetta watched the whole thing with amusement. "Okay boys, that's enough." She snapped her fingers and the weapons disappeared into magic circles. "So, where do we find the Gates of Hell?" Dark Pit asked. Bayonetta pointed at a picture of a mountain. "There." she replied.

"Where's that?" Pit asked.

"That's the sacred mountain of Fimbulventr." Enzo said. "The joint's supposed the link between Inferno and Paradiso. They say there's an entrance to Inferno, the "Gates of Hell", somewhere on that mountain. No one knows where, though. Hell, no one even knows if it's true or not. The only that overgrown rock is worshiped like some god in the first place is because no one's been able to get close to the damn thing. It's like it don't want you there! Every climber ends up stranded, or worse. And don't even try to fly a plane near that place, or BADA BOOM! But at least your soul doesn't have a long walk to whichever afterlife you've got lined up, right?"

"So could this Fibble... Fimble... This mountain, get us back to our world?" Pit asked.

"Who knows?" Enzo said. "Good luck trying to get there though." Bayonetta turned to Enzo with a knowing smirk. "Enzo, you've got a jet, right?" she asked.

"What?" Enzo asked. That's when his face lit up in realization. "NO. No no no no no. I do not. No." he said. "Listen, I appreciate the situation, but you know what today is? My kids got cookies baked for me at home! They're waiting for me!" He pulled out the toy jet he bought today. "And I still gotta play Santa tonight!" Annoyed, Bayonetta grabbed the jet and tossed to Rodin. "Let the real Santa take care of the presents." she said. "Now let's go!"

Rodin grabbed the toy jet. "Hey, I said _I_ believed!" Enzo said. "But Ed and Edna... You can't pull one over on those cute little fuckers, lemme tell you." Bayonetta grabbed Enzo by the collar and dragged him out of the bar. "Hey! Leggo! Leggo a me!" he protested. "Why do I always get wrapped up in this shit?!"

"Come on, Bow-Wow." Pit said as he walked out the bar with the Chain Chomp following close behind. Dark Pit sighed. "This is gonna be a _long_ day." the black angel reluctantly walked out the bar. With all of them gone, Rodin was left alone in the bar. He looked down at Enzo's toy jet.

"Ain't this a motherfucker." he said.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: Noatun, the City of Genesis. Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ Bayonetta and the angels arrive in the coastal city of Noatun and begin their search for the Gates of Hell. Along the way, they encounter a mysterious youth known as Loki who is being pursued by the Angels of Paradiso. Could this boy aid them on their quest? Find out next time on _Bayonetta 2!_**


	5. Ch 1: Noatun, The City of Genesis Pt 1

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! Bayonetta teamed up with Pit and Dark Pit to stop an out of control Gomorrah from destroying the city. However, things got off to a rather rocky start when Bayonetta believed them to be Angels of Paradiso. After a round of discussion at Rodin's bar, the Gates of Hell, the twin angels managed to convince Bayonetta that they were not enemies and the three of them formed an alliance and headed off to the sacred mountain of Fimbulventr in hopes of locating the real Gates of Hell and rescuing Jeanne's soul from the depths of Inferno. The adventure begins, now!**

After leaving the Gates of Hell, Bayonetta, Pit, Dark Pit, and Enzo headed to the airport. From there, they booked a flight to Italy where they rented a plane from Enzo's old friend Alex the Kid. As they couldn't fly directly to the mountain of Fimbulventr, Enzo decided to simply drop them off at the coastal island town of Noatun, which was at the foot of the mountain. To pass the time throughout the flight, Bayonetta and the two angels decided to get to know each other better and talked about their lives. They were going to be working alongside each other, after all. Might as well learn as much about each other as they could.

So here they were in a small charter plane. Enzo flew the plane with the twin angels riding inside while Bayonetta rode on top of the plane. The flight to Noatun was dreadfully slow, which was only exacerbated by Pit constantly asking if they were there yet (to the point that Bayonetta threatened to throw him off the plane if he didn't shut up). "I can't believe you, Enzo." Bayonetta said. "I didn't know the in-flight service was exclusive to fat Italians."

"Renting a plane ain't free, you know?" Enzo replied. "That reminds me, you owe Alex the Kid for the charter." Bayonetta stomped on the plane in response, jolting the plane and rousing Pit and Dark Pit from their slumber. "Oh... SHIT!" Enzo shouted as he struggled to steady the plane. "Hey, don't trash the plane!" he said. "Not everyone can fly, you know." Enzo and the angels looked forward and they found themselves staring at a gigantic mountain. "T-There it is! That's Fimbulventr." Enzo said.

"Finally." Dark Pit said.

"So this is the sacred mountain." Pit said. "Pretty breathtaking."

"Eh, not such a bad place when you look at it." Enzo said. "But still, you gotta have a death wish to get close to that damn place if you ask me. Gives me the heebie-jeebies. Like I said, I'll wait for you guys in Noatun, at the foot of the mountain. Just do whatever it is you gotta do and get back here, alright? And the hotel's going on your account. With the minibar too. Gotta keep myself busy while I'm waiting, fuggetaboutit?! I love those miniature drinks." He tried to take another sip of whiskey from his flask, but it was sadly empty.

As Enzo talked, a fog suddenly rolled in. "What the hell? Where's these clouds come from?" he asked. Bayonetta, sensing something approaching, suddenly jerked the plane to the left as the silhouette of the angel Glamor flew to the mountain, causing Enzo to shout "Motherfucker!" as he tried to steady the plane yet again.

"Watch where you're going, jerk!" Pit shouted at the angel.

"Sorry, Enzo. This is where we get off." Bayonetta said. "Say hi to the wife and kids for me!" Bayonetta leapt off the plane with the twin angels following suit. The Umbra Witch blew an Infernal Kiss at the plane, causing it to start flying by itself. "Wh-wh... Wait, what?!" he stammered. "You're joking, right?! I can't fly this piece of shit!" He tried to steer the plane, only to end up pulling the steering wheel off. "I told you I can't have nice things..." he grumbled.

As Bayonetta and the twin angels descended to the city of Noatun, Bayonetta opened a portal to Purgatorio below them. At the same time, a small squirrel appeared in the harbor. The squirrel wore a gold chain around its neck and golden bracelets on its wrists and arms. It arrived just in time to see Bayonetta and the angels fall through the portal. The squirrel cowered in fear as it seemed it would be crushed under Bayonetta's heel. Bayonetta, however, did a split at the last second, her face leaning in close to the squirrel, who quickly ran off.

Pit and Dark Pit landed next to Bayonetta, using their wings to slow their descent. Pit looked up at the sky to see Enzo's plane fly off in the distance. "He's gonna be okay, right?" Pit asked.

"Oh, don't worry about Enzo." Bayonetta said. "He's gotten out of tighter scrapes than that." Dark Pit took a moment to observe his surroundings. "So this is Noatun, huh?" he asked. "Quaint little city."

"Yeah, it's really pretty." Pit replied. "We should make this a vacation spot sometime." Pit's eyes fell on a nearby food stand. "Oh good, I'm starving." He walked to the stand. "Excuse me, sir. How much for these apples? I don't have much money, but I'll pay what I can." The man behind the stand, however, seemed to ignore Pit. "Excuse me? Hello?" Pit waved a hand in the man's face to get his attention.

"Might as well save your energy, little one." Bayonetta said. "He can't hear us or see us. We're in Purgatorio, the space between worlds. The people here can't see or interact with us and we can't interact with them. Besides, we're not here to sightsee, boys." Bayonetta said sternly. "We have a job to do." She pulled out Jeanne's Umbra Watch. "Jeanne... I'm on my way." she said to herself. "Just behave yourself for a little longer."

"Come on, little ones. Let's go." Bayonetta said.

"Okay, the 'little ones' thing is gonna get old." Dark Pit said. "We have names, you know."

"Well, you'll earn your names when you become men." Bayonetta replied. "Now, come on." Dark Pit rolled his eyes while Pit snuck a few apples off the fruit stand. That's when something caught his attention and he began walking towards the plaza and towards the statue of a cloaked man. "Okay, well do we have any idea where to start looking?" Dark Pit asked as he and Bayonetta walked into the plaza.

"This place is said to have connections to the Trinity of Realities." Bayonetta said. "We just need to look for clues that can lead us to the Gates of Hell."

"Would _this_ be a clue?" Pit asked. Bayonetta and Dark Pit ran to Pit, who pointed at a portal under the water. "I'm no brainiac, but I don't think that's normal."

"No, it definitely isn't." Bayonetta said as she went into the water to take a closer look at the portal. It wasn't a portal, per se. It was more like a mirror. It showed an image of a hallway. "How strange. I can sense a waning energy from the portal, like the remnants of some special power that fades away with the slightest touch." Bayonetta reached towards the portal and it suddenly faded away. In its place, the same hallway shown in its image appeared.

"How's you do that?" Pit asked.

"Haven't a bloody clue." Bayonetta replied. "Let's go, then." Bayonetta walked down the hallway. Pit and Dark Pit followed suit. When they got into the hallway, there was no water, so they could breathe. While all this was happening, that same squirrel from earlier was watching the trio from the safety of a nearby rooftop before scurrying off.

The trio made it out of the hall and found themselves underwater once more. They arrived at some sort of underwater ruins. There were statues of Umbra Witches and Lumen Sages. They walked down the stairs, but when they reached the central platform, an angelic seal manifested, trapping them all inside. At that point, Angels of Paradiso appeared. These were Third Sphere Angels called Compassions. They were small airborne angels witn small white bodies and tails and golden spiked wings.

"Oh goody, the welcoming committee." Bayonetta teased, drawing her guns. "And here I was about to get bored."

"Are these angels too?" Pit asked, taking out his Palutena Bow. He wasn't sure if he was willing to fight fellow angels.

"Obviously." Dark Pit said as he drew his Silver Bow. The trio didn't get to continue the conversation as the Compassions immediately attacked, turning their tails into blades and attempting to skewer them. The trio dodged out of the way in time and Dark Pit retaliated with shots from his Silver Bow, hitting several of the Compassions.

Bayonetta fired off a few rounds from her guns, then drew her new Rakshasa katanas and slashed at the Compassions, cleanly cutting them in half. When one of them attempted to charge at her from behind, she leapt onto the angel and began riding it like a surfboard, using it to impale the other Compassions before leaping off. She soon found herself confronted by the leader of the Compassions, a Cachet. The Cachet turned its tail into a drill and attempted to impale her, but Bayonetta leapt over it and used her Takemikazuchi hammer to pound it into the ground, killing it instantly.

Pit, meanwhile, was having difficulty fighting off some of the Compassions. Though it wasn't due to a lack of competence, but due to his hesitation in fighting fellow angels. In fact, he spent most of the fight blocking and defending against their blades. "Listen! I really don't want to fight you! Stand down and let us pass!" Before it could continue, Bayonetta fired off a few rounds and killed the remaining Compassions.

"Might as well not waste your breath, Little One." Bayonetta said. "Third Sphere Angels like those are little more than mindless drones that only obey whatever the higher ups tell them to do."

"Kinda like Pit." Dark Pit said with a smirk.

"Hey! I can think for myself!" Pit snapped defensively.

" _Sure_ you can, O famed servant of Palutena." Dark Pit replied sarcastically.

"Says the servant of the Goddess Viridi, eh Mr. Lone Wolf?" Pit said.

"Okay, that's enough." Bayonetta said. "We need to keep moving." The trio continued their trek through the underwater ruins, making their way through a ruined temple and heading up the stairs. They ended up in the canal of a street. They walked up the street and soon found themselves staring at a small red portal in the ground. Out from the portal emerged a slightly annoyed Rodin.

"Santa don't get paid enough for this shit." he grumbled. "When Ed and Edna found out their daddy wasn't coming home, made me stay all the way through dinner."

"Don't pretend you weren't delighted." Bayonetta teased. "I hear Enzo's wife makes a lovely casserole."

"It was damn good, I give you that." Rodin admitted. "Anyway, tell me how my babies are doing."

"They're behaving quite well." Bayonetta replied. "They've found plenty of new playmates here."

"Figured they would." Rodin said. "Noatun had some deep connections with Fimbulventr and the Gates of Hell back in its day. Wouldn't be surprised to find a few of those playmates that like it rougher than the typical bunch." Rodin then turned his attention to Pit and Dark Pit. "Guess she hasn't killed you guys yet." he chuckled.

"More like they haven't given me a _reason_ to kill them." Bayonetta said. "They've proven to be useful so far."

"Anyway, you need any supplies, just make sure you keep bringing me these halos." Rodin said, twirling a halo on his finger. "And remember, I ain't here to get up in your business. My business is making things that do business. So don't come crying to me when-" His speech was interrupted when. Bayonetta opened fire on Rodin with his guns, intentionally missing every shot and hitting the wall behind him.

"You... You think you gotta do everything alone. I'm here to help." Rodin said as he stepped back onto the red portal. "Just make sure you don't bust a cap in _my_ ass." Rodin gave out a demonic echoing laugh as he sank through the portal. "Why do I feel a chill going down my spine?" Pit asked.

"He has that effect on everyone." Bayonetta said. "It's not just you."

"So you kill angels and take their halos as money?" Dark Pit asked, partly curious and partly disgusted.

"Yes. Halos are quite the commodity in Inferno." Bayonetta replied. "Though I do wonder what Rodin would give for a laurel crown."

"You're not giving him our crowns." Pit said sternly.

"Oh, relax boy." Bayonetta said. "I'm just teasing. Let's move on, shall we?" Pit rolled his eyes as the twin angels followed Bayonetta down the street. But they didn't get very far when the ground began to shake, causing a portion of the street to sink into the water. "What was that?! An earthquake?!" Pit asked. The trio climbed out of the water just in time to see the angel Glamor emerge from the ground and fly off, not noticing the trio.

"More like angelquake." Dark Pit said. The trio continued through a door that led to a small alley with a canal. Emerging from the alley, the trio arrived at the Cascade Foregrounds of Noatun. Considered the centerpiece of the city, it was known as a frequent spot for tourist visits due to its beautiful church and courtyard, which was filled to the brim witn water. It was said that pilgrims would purify themselves in the sacred water before beginning their trek to Fimbulventr.

"This place is amazing!" Pit said as he looked around the Foregrounds in awe.

"Not a bad place... If you don't mind the earthquakes and killer angels roaming around." Dark Pit replied.

"Certainly better than Vigrid." Bayonetta said. The Umbra Witch then sensed that something was coming for them. "Boys, we've got company." The trio turned and drew their weapons just iin time for two Acceptances to fly right past them. The trio exchanged confused glances at each other before turning around to see a group of four Acceptances attacking a young boy. The young boy had dark skin and wore a green and yellow sleeveless hoodie with baggy orange pants, as well as various gold jewelry and what looks like prayer beads near his teal and white sneakers, which were partly covered by his pants. He also wore goggles over his eyes.

Pit and Dark Pit rushed off to rescue the young boy, but Bayonetta grabbed the twin angels by their wings and held them back. "What the hell are you doing?!" Dark Pit asked.

"Not yet." Bayonetta replied. "Let's see how this plays out."

"They're going to _kill_ him!" Pit shouted. "Let go!"

"Oh really? Look again." Bayonetta said. The twin angels looked to see the young boy skillfully dodge the Acceptances' spears. He leapt out of the group and tossed four cards at the Acceptances, killing them all instantly. The boy took a sigh of relief, but he soon found himself attacked by another group of Acceptances. "These punters don't know when to quit." he said as he fended off their attacks. "What'd I ever do to them?"

He leapt off one Acceptance, slid under the legs of another and tossed his cards at one charging straight at him. Just as it died, he leapt off the Acceptance and fired cards at the other four, killing them on the spot. "Shite. I'm never gonna reach Fimbulventr at this rate." he said. "Oh well. At least it won't be a boring trip." The boy was alerted to the sound of slow clapping. He turned around to see Bayonetta and the twin angels behind him. He took off his goggles as he stared at the trio. When he saw Pit and Dark Pit, however, he immediately threw two cards at them.

Pit and Dark Pit dodged the cards. "Hey! Watch it!" he shouted.

"Huh? You lot can see me?" he asked. "Sorry mate. Been chased by angels all day, so when I saw the wings, I decided to shoot first and not ask questions."

"So I noticed." Dark Pit said.

"You're putting on quite a show, little magician." Bayonetta replied.

"Yeah, you were awesome with those cards!" Pit said.

"Not bad, kid." Dark Pit said. "A few more years of training under your belt and you might actually pose a threat."

"Oh, you guys liked that, huh?" the boy asked smugly. "Wait till you see the climax!" The boy pulled out a card, only for Bayonetta to fire off a shot from her gun, startling the boy and the angels. "Silly girl..." the boy said. That's when he heard a loud thud behind him. Bayonetta had actually shot an Acceptance that was about to attack him. As the boy watched the angel die, Bayonetta strolled up behind him.

"You'll have to do better than that to earn a tip, my dear." Bayonetta teased. Seeing her so close behind him startled the young boy. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm just an innocent girl lost in Wonderland." Bayonetta replied. "Suffering at the hands of the queen's trumped-up troops!" The boy took another look at the twin angels. "Aren't these the trumped-up troops?" he asked.

"Let's just say they defected." Bayonetta teased.

"More like we never joined." Pit added.

"A cute one, huh?" the boy said. "Enough riddles. How can you all see me?"

"Because we're all in Purgatorio, you see." Bayonetta replied. The boy lowered his head and clutched it with his hand as he felt a stinging headache. "Pur...ga...torio?" he asked, enunciating the word slowly. Bayonetta walked towards him again, kneeling next to him. "So, are we heading to Fimbulventr on a shopping trip for Mummy, little one?" The boy backed away from Bayonetta again.

"Maybe, but she told me never to talk to strangers." the boy said. "You three stay out of my way, or I'll make sure you lot never get in it again." As a warning, he held one of his cards up in a threatening manner. The trio remained unimpressed. "Ooh, scary." Bayonetta remarked sarcastically. "Off with their heads, eh?" The boy looked to see his card had a hole in it from when Bayonetta shot through it earlier.

"Damnit!" he cursed. Just then, a strange fog began to roll in. "Oh shit! They must've heard me!" The boy ran inside the nearby church just as three Acceptances descended from the sky. They were led by an Acceptance decorated with red and gold armor. This was an Accolade, a Third Sphere Archangel.

"So many new playmates." Bayonetta said as she drew her guns. Pit, however, began walking towards the group of angels. "And what do you think you're you doing?" Dark Pit asked.

"Trying a little diplomacy." Pit replied.

"Remember what I said?" Bayonetta asked. "Most of the angels are mindless drones programmed only to obey orders. They won't listen to reason."

"Back in the city, there was an angel who could talk." Pit said. "Maybe some of them are sentient." Pit walked towards the angels, who readied themselves to attack. "Wait, just hear me out!" Pit pleaded. "I don't know anything about this world, but I do know this: Angels are supposed to _protect_ humanity, not _attack_ it! What you're doing is wrong! I'm giving you this one chance to walk away while you can."

One of the Acceptances attacked Pit with its lance. Without even moving from his spot, Pit blocked the lance with one of the blades of his Palutena Bow. "I'm telling you for your own good, stand down." Another Acceptance attacked with its lance, only for it to be blocked by Pit's other blade. "I mean it. Back off or I won't be responsible for what happens next." The Acceptance that was in front of Pit attempted to impale him with its lsnce, only for Pit to kick the lance out of its hand.

"Alright, we'll do it _your_ way!" Pit spun in place with blades outstretched, horizontally slicing the two Acceptances cleanly in half. He then charged forward and impaled the third Acceptance in the human face on its abdomen, causing the angel to fade into gold particles. "You were warned." Pit said coldly. Enraged, the Accolade charged at Pit. The angel leapt over the Accolade and fired a charged arrow from his bow, killing it instantly. He soon found himself dodging arrows shot from another group of Acceptances. They were armed with harps that fired arrows.

Dark Pit pulled out his Dark Pit Staff and fired several shots at the Acceptances, hitting each one with pinpoint accuracy. He then flew up, drew his Gaol Blade and began slashing away at the Acceptances. Pit joined in and assisted Dark Pit with his Aquarius Blade. Bayonetta watched with mild amusement as the twin angels fought. A Compassion appeared behind her and attempted to impale her with its even turning to look behind her, Bayonetta shot at the angel with her gun.

She was then surrounded by another group of Acceptances led by an Accolade. A smirk tugged at her lips as she summoned Shuraba. The demonic katana surged with dark red energy. At the command of the Accolade, the Acceptances charged at Bayonetta. The Umbra Witch sheathed the katana and performed several rapid Iaijutsu slashes, dicing them into pieces, much to the Accolade's shock.

"Guess it's just you and me now." Bayonetta said. The Accolade gathered its courage and charged at Bayonetta with lance outstretched, who gave another smirk in response.

Pit and Dark Pit landed on the ground after defeating all the angels, but when they turned around, they were shocked to see an Accolade on a treadmill of blades desperately trying to run from the blades. Bayonetta watched the Accolade struggle with sadistic amusement. "What are you doing?!" Pit asked in shock and outrage.

"Having a little fun." Bayonetta replied nonchalantly. "I like watching him sweat."

"He's already beaten." Dark Pit said. "You don't need to do anymore. Just let him go." Bayonetta stared at the struggling Accolade for a few moments, then said "As you wish." She then kicked the angel into the blades, causing blood and gore to splatter everywhere. "You... **_You didn't have to do that!_** " Pit shouted.

"No, I didn't." Bayonetta admitted. "But it _was_ more fun."

"Are you _always_ this sadistic?" Pit asked.

"Guilty as charged." Bayonetta teased. "And come on. Like slaughtering Underworld monsters doesn't get _you_ all hot and bothered?"

"First of all, ew. Second, I'm not a sadist. And third, they die in one hit." Pit retorted. "Can't get much enjoyment out of it."

"Speak for yourself." Dark Pit said with a smirk.

"You're not helping." Pit replied.

"We can argue about morality later." Bayonetta said. "Come on." The three of them walked towards a strange structure in the center of the Foregrounds. It was a large blue ramp-like object with a diamond on the top. "What is this thing?" Pit asked.

"I dunno. Such a curious object." Bayonetta mused. "It's emanating the same strange power I felt from that portal earlier. Only this time, I can feel it strengthening my own magic. I wonder..." Bayonetta walked on to the ramp and to her surprise, she found she was able to perform her Witch Walk in broad daylight. "Whoa, awesome!" Pit said.

"Get on." Bayonetta ordered. "This thing seems to grant people the ability to walk on walls." Pit and Dark Pit exchanged glances before reluctantly walking onto the ramp. And sure enough, they soon found themselves walking on it as easily as they were walking on the floor. "Huh. Freaky." Dark Pit said. The trio jumped through the diamond-shaped opening in the ramp and landed on the church.

At that moment, several slashes appeared on the Foregrounds and suddenly something erupted from the ground. The creature landed on the church. It was Valiance. Holding its sword head upright, the First Sphere Cherub surveyed its surroundings as if it was searching for something. "I can feel the power of the Remembrance of Time." he said. "Where did the boy flee?!"

"If you're looking for the kid, he went thataway." Bayonetta said.

"Hey, don't tell him!" Pit protested.

"What? It's not like he's going to actually find him." Bayonetta replied dismissively. Valiance turned to face the trio. "Hmph. The famed witch." he said, ignoring the twin angels. Bayonetta turned away from the Cherub, expecting him to drone on into a long monologue. "The greatest of blessings to have you here as well. Thus the Eyes of the World together will be-" Before he could say anymore, Bayonetta shot at his porcelain face with her gun. A silence fell over everyone before it was broken by Valiance's chuckling.

"Alas, I digress." the angel said. "You will not escape our grasp." Valiance dropped into a battle stance, holding his sword in a reverse grip. "I'm afraid I don't have time to dance too long." Bayonetta said as she and the twin angels dropped into their own fighting stances. Valiance looked at the twin angels with great curiosity. "What are you doing?" he asked. "You should be fighting _her_ , not _me!_ "

"You're attacking humanity." Pit said. "From where _we're_ standing, _you're_ the one in the wrong here."

"You would side with the slayer of Jubileus?!" Valiance asked in outrage. "You speak **_treason!_** " Without hesitation, Valiance stabbed the ground with his blade and charged at the trio, dragging his blade along the ground. "Guess we're done talking." Dark Pit said as he summoned his Cursed Palm and fired several dark energy blasts at Valiance. The Cherub blocked each shot witn his sword, then attempted to slash at Dark Pit.

The dark angel dodged the sword and summoned his End-All Arm before delivering a strong punch to Valiance's chest, cracking at the red skin a bit. In retaliation, Valiance fired several golden arrows at Dark Pit. "Pittoo!" Pit leapt in front of Dark Pit and used his Guardian Orbitars to create a large energy shield in front of them to defend against the golden arrows, which exploded on contact with the shield.

Bayonetta pulled out her new Takemikazuchi hammer and leapt into the air to attempt an overhead swing. Valiance blocked the swing with his blade, but the electricity surging from the hammer conducted itself through the blade and electrocuted Valiance. Taking advantage of his stunned state, Bayonetta used Takemikazuchi to sweep at his legs and knock him on his back, damaging his armor in the process.

Bayonetta used Takemikazuchi to repeatedly pound away at the cracked spot on his chest before being grabbed and thrown to the ground by Valiance. Valiance rose to his feet and and attempted to impale Bayonetta with his blade. Pit summoned his Taurus Arm and punched Valiance directly in the face on its sword, knocking the sword out of its hand. Without its sword, Valiance's body slumped to the ground.

"Thanks little one." Bayonetta said. "Now, time to finish this." Valiance's badly damaged porcelain face extended out of the hilt of the sword and attempted to escape. "PDEE BARMA!" she chanted as her clothing dissolved into a spiral of hair that formed a portal on the ground. Out of the portal emerged Madama Butterfly in full physical form.

She was a truly awesome sight, the perfect combination of beauty and lethality. She was a woman with swallowtail butterfly traits. She wore a purple thigh-split dress from the middle that showed her blue legs and purple high heels, the top of her dress was also open in a way that showed her breasts rested against purple straps. On her arms were long purple cuffs that wrap around her middle finger, along with butterfly accessories and red spikes on her knuckles. Madama Butterfly's most defining feature was the large butterfly-shaped headpiece that sat evenly on her head, gold spiky ornaments also rested on her forehead. Her eyes were completely red and appeared almost jewel-like.

Madama Butterfly grabbed Valiance's sword and stabbed the Cherub repeatedly with it, the final stab slamming it into the church with the sheer force of it and sending the sword through a nearby window. The trio jumped through the hole and landed in the church. "You really get off on destroying public property." Dark Pit said.

"What can I say? I'm a trailblazer." Bayonetta replied. The conversation was interrupted by the sounds of someone struggling. The trio looked ahead to see the same boy from before, trapped in a pile of debris. "Hey, are you alright?" Pit asked.

"Oh no, mate. I'm having a grand old time." the boy replied sarcastically. "Do I fucking look like I'm okay?!"

"So, they're after you too then?" Bayonetta asked. "Have you been naughty? Keeping secrets from Mummy?"

"Nope. Nothing comes to mind, love. Sorry." the boy replied. "But since this is your bloody mess, do you guys mind hurrying the fuck up and getting rid of this thing?!"

"Now now, that's no way to talk to a lady." Bayonetta scolded. "No wonder your guardian angels are trying to give you a good spanking."

"Whatever, love." the boy said. "You lot are already following me, so let's make a deal. You save me; I'll show you all around this joint. Heading to Fimbulventr, are we? That makes four of us, and it'll take four of us, won't it, love?"

'"He has a point." Pit said. "We'd do better if we all teamed up."

"Why not?" Dark Pit shrugged. "Make the trio into a quartet."

"You all seemed to have skipped school the day they taught basic negotiation skills." Bayonetta chuckled as she turned to face the boy, holding one of his cards that she picked up. "You're supposed to negotiate from a position of strength. Not be a one-trick pony." She tossed the card at the boy, which bounced harmlessly off the debris. A moment of awkward silence ensued.

"Um, about that trick..." the boy began. "See, you need my power to-" Bayonetta interrupted him with several shots from her guns, blasting the debris off and leaving the boy unharmed, who fell to the ground. "...That works too, I suppose." he said.

"I don't have time to give a shit about who you are or why you're going to the mountain." Bayonetta said. "Take us there and make it quick. You stay with us, and I promise we'll get you there in one piece." With that, she began to walk away with the twin angels in tow. "Wait, stop!" the boy said. "Before I show you the way, love, you gotta agree to a little condition." Bayonetta turned and drew her gun on the boy, stopping him dead in his tracks, and panicking the twin angels.

"Do we _need_ to go over my lesson again?" Bayonetta asked. "First, learn to talk to a lady. We don't react well to being insulted, little one."

"Well then... I don't react well to being called 'little one'!" the boy replied. " The name's Loki. And what should I call you, lo... I mean, ma'am?" Bayonetta shot Loki a look that said "are you serious."

"Do I _look_ like a ma'am to you?" Bayonetta replied. "Bayonetta or Cereza. Take your pick." That elicited a laugh from Loki. "Cereza?! You don't look like a Cereza to me." he said.

"Well then, Bayonetta it is." she said.

"Can I call you Bayo for short?" Pit asked. That got him a glare from Bayonetta in response. "Okay okay, forget I said anything." he said.

"Good. Let's go, little ones." Bayonetta said as she walked towards the door.

"Hey, I just told you my name is-!" Loki began to say.

"You'll earn your name when you become a man." Bayonetta replied. "Now let's move."

"Is she always like this?" Loki asked.

"Get used to it." Dark Pit replied.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ Now joined by Loki, the gang continues to make their way through the city of Noatun, relentlessly hounded by the Angels of Paradiso. They eventually end up coming face to face with the angel Glamor, who attempts to take the boy with her. Can they protect Loki from the angelic hordes pursuing him? Find out on the next chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**

 **Author's Note: Gotta segment this chapter into two parts. It was getting too long. Next part will be up soon.**


	6. Ch 1: Noatun, The City of Genesis Pt 2

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! Bayonetta and the Angel Twins arrived in Noatun and began their search for a way to get to the sacred mountain of Fimbulventr, fighting through scores of angelic hordes along the way. While in Noatun, they encountered a boy named Loki, who was also looking for a way to Fimbulventr. After rescuing him from more Angels of Paradiso, the quartet decided it would be safer to head to Fimbulventr together. And so, the journey continues!**

"How's everything going?" Palutena asked. Viridi had called her commanders Arlon and Phosphora to Dyntos' workshop to help them repair the Dimension Eye. Everything was going smoothly for the most part. Of course, in Phosphora's opinion, it would go a lot smoother if Palutena wouldn't constantly interrupt them every few minutes. "Everything's going fine." Phosphora said. "Just like it was when you asked us fifteen minutes ago."

"I'm sorry." Palutena replied. "I shouldn't be distracting you, but Pit and Dark Pit are trapped in another world and I can't help them! I feel so useless!" Arlon stopped working and sat Palutena down, materializing a cup of tea for her. "Lady Palutena, I can understand your concern, but I urge you to remain calm." Arlon said in that serene voice he's most famous for. "Panic will not help anyone and only leads to undue stress."

"I know that." Palutena replied. "But I can't help it. Pit has never been this long without my guidance. Poor thing must be lost without me."

"With all due respect, you don't give your captain enough credit." Arlon said. "This is the same angel who defeated Medusa, stopped an alien invasion, rescued you from the Chaos Kin, and defeated Hades. He even defeated Mistress Viridi. He has survived many perils in his career and I'm sure he'll survive this. Plus, he has Dark Pit with him. I'm sure he'll keep him safe. For now, you just need to calm down and have faith."

"You're right." Palutena said with a small, but hopeful smile. "Thanks Arlon."

"Anytime, Lady Palutena." Arlon said with a warm smile of his own as he went back to work on the Dimension Eye with Phosphora. As Palutena watched them, her mind drifted towards Pit and Dark Pit. " _Pit. Pittoo. Stay strong. We'll get you home soon._ "

* * *

 ** _Meanwhile, in Bayonetta's world..._**

"So let me get this straight." Loki began as the quartet made their way through the church. "You two are angels from another world entirely and you think going to Fimbulventr will somehow get you back to your world. That's some of the most cheesiest shit I've ever heard. Sounds like something out of the fucking Wizard of Oz."

"I'm serious." Pit protested. "It's the truth."

"Whatever mate." They made their way up the stairs and found themselves in the church's courtyard. Unfortunately, they didn't get far as they were trapped in another heavenly barrier. An Accolade appeared before them. This one had green armor and wielded a pair of gilded greatswords. It was flanked by two Acceptances wielding crossbow harps and they were soon joined by a group of Compassions led by a Cachet.

"More of these punters?!" Loki asked in annoyance as he drew his cards.

"Seems we're quite the popular ones here." Bayonetta teased as she drew her guns.

"Well if it's a fight they want..." Dark Pit began.

"...It's a fight they'll get!" Pit said as he and Dark Pit drew their bows. The four of them then engaged the angels in battle. Bayonetta faced off against the Accolade. The angel swung one of its blades at Bayonetta. Bayonetta raised one of her Rakshasa katanas to block the swing. The Accolade swung its other blade, only for it to be blocked as well. With both of its hands full, Bayonetta took advantage of this distraction and swung her leg at the Accolade, slashing it across the face on its chest with the blade on her heel.

The Accolade neighed in pain before leaping backwards into the air and diving at Bayonetta with blades crossed. The Umbran Witch stood her ground and activated the Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa accessory, creating a large circular glyph in front of her that deflected the blades. Channeling her dark magic into her blades, she elongated them and sliced the Accolade in two.

Pit and Dark Pit found themselves in a shoot out with the two Acceptances. The Acceptances raised their harps into the air and fired a spray of arrows that rained down on the two angels. Pit used his Guardian Orbitars to defend against the arrows, then Pit rolled out from under the barrier and fired a shot from his Scorpio Staff. The poison infused in the shot killed the Acceptance instantly. Dark Pit charged at the other Acceptance and kicked the harp out of its hand before firing a charged shot from his Doom Cannon at point blank range, obliterating it completely.

Loki, meanwhile, struggled against the Cachet and Compassions. Loki skillfully dodged the blades of the Compassions, but quickly found himself surrounded by them. Going into a wild breakdance-like motion, Loki threw cards at each one, killing them all save for the Cachet. The angel turned its tail into a drill and charged at Loki. Loki threw up a barrier to defend against its drill. Loki struggled to hold up the barrier under the Cachet's assault, but the angel overpowered Loki and shattered the barrier, knocking him to the ground.

The Cachet was poised to finish Loki off, but was swiftly killed by a shot from Dark Pit's staff. "I would've taken him myself, you know!" Loki protested in irritation.

"You're welcome." Dark Pit replied sarcastically. They didn't get to continue their conversation, however, as soon another Angel of Paradiso appeared in the courtyard. This one was far larger than most angels. It was a large, top-heavy being with short and stubby legs that was decorated in red and gold armor. Its tiny face was on its chest and had a large halo in place of where a head should be. Its most noticeable feature was its arms, which were outfitted with large maces that were constantly lit ablaze. This was an Urbane, a Second Sphere Virtue.

"An Urbane?" Bayonetta asked. "Heh. Things just got more interesting." The Urbane made the first move and fired one of its flaming maces as the gang. They instinctively moved out of the way and Loki retaliated by tossing his cards at the angel, only for them to harmlessly bounce off its armor. "Shit! No good!" Loki cursed. The Urbane lunged at Loki, but was stopped by Pit, who fired a shot from his Taurus Arm.

"Loki, get to safety!" Pit demanded.

"But I can-"

"Just do what he says!" Dark Pit interrupted as he shot at the Urbane's tiny face with his Silver Bow. The shots caused it to stagger, but the Urbane recovered and leapt at the twin angels with the intent of smashing them with its mace. But Bayonetta leapt in front of the Urbane and grabbed its mace before tossing it aside. Loki took advantage of the distraction and transformed into a ball of light before flying into Bayonetta.

The Urbane lowered its head and its halo began to grow. The Urbane then fired a large golden beam from its head and sweeped the area with it. Bayonetta and the angels took to the air to avoid the beam. "Time to give this hothead the cold shoulder." Bayonetta said pulled out her twin Undine flamethrowers and switched them to their cold state before firing a blast of cold air at the Urbane. The angel writhed in pain as the cold blast slowly froze it over.

"That's a good idea!" Pit said as he pulled out his Aquarius Blade and fired shards of ice at the Urbane. The combined blasts of cold eventually froze the Urbane completely. "A wonderful ice sculpture if I do say so myself." Bayonetta replied. She then summoned her Salamandra chainsaws. "Now for the finishing touch." The Umbra Witch leapt into the air and began carving at the frozen angel, hacking away until it was little more than frozen chunks of ice. Pit visibly cringed throughout the whole violent assault. " _Now_ it's art." Bayonetta said as she blew an Infernal Kiss and shattered the barrier.

"Art?" Dark Pit asked. "You basically smashed it to pieces."

"Destruction can be a form of art." Bayonetta replied. Loki emerged out of Bayonetta. "Well, that was fun." he said. "Now let's get moving. We need to get to Fimbulventr." The four walked out of the courtyard and ended up in another alley. After crossing the bridge over the canal, they began walking down the street. They didn't get very far as another earthquake began to tear through the street. The ground heaved upward and the First Sphere Seraph, Glamor, emerged from below. The angelic serpent glared directly at Loki.

"Sovereign One. You must flee no more." it commanded. "Accompany me. The Prophetic One is waiting."

"Sure. Just because you asked, tall, dark, and ugly." Loki snarked. "That makes total sense." Glamor reared back and attempted to bite the young boy, but Bayonetta yanked Loki out of the way. "Best leave this to the adults, Little One." she said as she and the twin angels drew their weapons.

"Angels. Umbra Witch." Glamor said. "Why do you interfere? This is not your battle, but it may well be your end." Glamor performed an upward claw slash and tore up the ground, sending a piece of it sailing into the air with Bayonetta on it. Pit and Dark Pit flew into the air and began to engage Glamor in battle. "Guys!" Loki shouted as he watched the battle unfold, unable to fight himself as he couldn't fly.

Glamor grabbed onto the piece of debris Bayonetta was standing on with its lower claws. Bayonetta opened fire on Glamor with her guns. Glamor blocked the bullets with its claws, then slashed at Bayonetta. Dodging at the last second, she activated Witch Time to slow Glamor down, thorn pulled out her Lt. Col Kilgore rocket launchers and fired several rockets at its face. Glamor roared in pain and attempted to bite Bayonetta, but was assailed by a combined rain of arrows from Pit and Dark Pit.

Annoyed, Glamor fired several ice shards at the twin angels. Pit and Dark Pit dodged them all with ease and Pit summoned his Leo Cannon to launch several fireballs at Glamor. Glamor blocked the shots with its hands, but was unable to defend against a charged shot from Dark Pit's Doom Cannon. Glamor turned and smacked Dark Pit away with its claw, sending him flying into a nearby building. "Pittoo!" Pit shouted. He rushed to help his dark counterpart, but was quickly smacked away as well.

Bayonetta pulled out her Bazillions, specialized ray guns modified by Rodin, and fired several laser blasts at Glamor's stone face, each blast cracking away at the stone and revealing the grotesque flesh underneath. Glamor repeatedly swiped at Bayonetta with its claws, but Bayonetta dodged each one with ease. The Seraph attempted to bite her again, but Bayonetta dodged at the last second and activated Witch Time.

"PDEE BARMA!" Bayonetta chanted as she summoned Madama Butterfly. On Bayonetta's command, the demoness stomped on Glamor's head several times, the final stomp sending Glamor falling into the water and shattering the debris Bayonetta was fighting on. On the ground, Loki tried his best to dodge the falling debris, but one piece nearly fell on top of him. Loki screamed in terror and tried to shield himself from the debris, but was quickly pulled away from the debris by Bayonetta, who swept him off his feet and carried him bridal-style, her trademark smirk plastered on her face.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Loki asked in annoyance. "Let go of me!"

"So, Little One, what's all this 'Sovereign' business about?" Bayonetta asked, ignoring everything Loki was saying.

"Yeah, and who's this Prophetic One?" Pit asked as he landed near Bayonetta.

"And why the hell are these guys after you, anyway?" Dark Pit asked as he landed near Bayonetta as well.

"Okay, that's three questions too fucking many." Loki replied. "So here's a one-size-fits-all answer: I haven't a fucking clue." Bayonetta promptly dropped Loki on the ground. "Oi!" he shouted.

"Well, whatever." Bayonetta said. "If your 'Sovereigness' is going to get in my way, our deal is over. And, if we're going to have to meet anymore of your friends, you better learn how to take care of yourself."

"She's right." Pit said. "If these guys are after you, then they'll probably be back."

"I'm quite alright on my own. Got it?" Loki replied as he drew one of his cards.

"Your tricks aren't going to work forever, Little One." Bayonetta replied. Loki scoffed and turned into a small squirrel and flew behind Bayonetta. Bayonetta backflippsd into the air and transformed into her Panther Within before pouncing on Loki and holding him in her mouth. Pit and Dark Pit stared at the whole spectacle in awe. "Does every human in this world have superpowers?!" Dark Pit asked.

Bayonetta transformed back into her human form, holding Loki in her hand by the back of his neck. "More tricks, little magician?" she asked. "I guess you've got more to offer than I thought." Bayonetta thorn shoved Loki in between her cleavage. "For the time being though, stay here, and don't get frisky. Now let's get moving." Bayonetta walked forward with Pit and Dark Pit following suit.

"He's living every man's dream." Dark Pit whispered to Pit.

"What do you mean?" Pit asked.

"Never mind." Dark Pit said, not wanting to waste time explaining something to Pit.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, on Fimbulventr...**_

"There. That is the one, is it not?" the Prophet asked the Masked Lumen. The two had been monitoring Bayonetta's progress since she had encountered Loki. The Prophet had promised the Lumen Sage a chance at revenge against Loki and now it seams that they may have their opportunity. "Yes..." The Lumen Sage hissed. "I will **_never_** forget that face!" The Lumen Sage drew his Holy Glaive in anticipation.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview:** **A Remembrance of Time: Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ Bayonetta and the gang continued their trek through the city of Noatun. Along the way, Bayonetta reunites with her old friend Luka, an investigative journalist who tells her about the God of Chaos who lived in Noatun. The group also discovers that Loki has a special power. What could it all mean? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**


	7. Ch 2: A Remembrance of Time

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! During their journey through the coastal city of Noatun, Bayonetta and the twin angels encountered a boy named Loki, who himself wad journeying to the sacred mountain of Fimbulventr. After rescuing the boy from a group of angels, the four of them decided to team up and travel to the mountain together. The journey continues, now!**

Bayonetta and the gang continued their trek through the city of Noatun in their quest to reach the sacred mountain of Fimbulventr. Unfortunately, their quest was interrupted yet again by yet another ambush from the Angels of Paradiso. This was what, the 60th ambush since they've arrived here? It was getting tedious. As they battled their angelic attackers on a bridge, they were unaware that they were being watched.

On a nearby building, there was a man. He was a tall, light skinned young man with shoulder length wavy brown hair. His attire had a cowboy-theme style to it. He wore a hat with a blue pattern around the circumference. The hat had two strings hanging on each side of the brim with two beads, blue and red on each. He wore a light grey shirt with elbow length sleeves, a V-neck T-shirt and black leather sleeveless jacket with fingerless leather gloves. He wore a scarf like before that was tucked into his shirt. He also wore black leather pants with fringes on the bottom. This was Luka Redgrave, Journalist Extraordinare, or so he claimed.

Luka's career began when he witnessed the brutal murder of his father, Antonio Redgrave as a young boy. As Bayonetta awoke from her 500-year slumber at that moment, he blamed her for his father's murder and chased Bayonetta around the world, determined to expose her for the murderer he believed she was. However, during their last adventure in the city of Vigrid, Luka learned the brutal truth: Bayonetta was never responsible for his father's death. It was Father Balder, the CEO of the Ithavoll Group. After Balder was defeated, Luka grew to be one of Bayonetta's closest allies.

"So, our fates and our paths cross once again." he said as he pulled out his new glasses. As he was in the human world, he couldn't actually see Bayonetta as she was in Purgatorio. But he could see the damage her fight was causing. In fact, that's how he managed to find her. All he had to do was follow the trail of destruction she left in her wake. She never did things subtle, after all. So, he had Rodin craft him some special glasses that had specialized lenses that allowed him to see into Purgatorio from the human realm.

From his vantage point, Luka watched the fight. But he was surprised to see that there were two boys dressed as angels fighting alongside her. When he leaned down to get a closer look,, a piece of the building broke off from under his foot and he nearly slipped and fell. Thankfully, he managed to catch himself on a railing. He turned and struck a pose to regain his composure.

Meanwhile, Bayonetta and the angel twins continued their fight. Unfortunately, the extensive damage caused the bridge to collapse from underneath them, sending them falling. "Bingo!" he said, seeing his chance to be a hero. He fired his trusty grapple hook and swung into action, yelling "WOOHOO!" as he looked forward to the chance of being Bayonetta's knight in shining armor.

Unfortunately, he forgot to factor in one tiny detail: He could _see_ into Purgatorio, but he couldn't _touch_ anyone in Purgatorio. And so, he ended up passing right through Bayonetta and found himself heading straight for a nearby building. " _OOOOOOOhhhhh shii-!_ " he exclaimed as he crashed into the building and fell to the ground, wounding his shoulder in the process. He picked up his glasses and got to his feet, but he soon caught the scent of perfume. One of the things Luka prided himself on was his keen sense of smell.

"Fluer de La Reine." he said. "Made of Nerine, also known as diamond lilies, I think? The name Nerine is derived from the Nerelds, or sea nymphs. Quite appropriate for this city."

"Luka?" Bayonetta asked. Luka turned behind him to find Bayonetta and the twin angels staring at him. "Will you quit calling me that!" he shouted. "I'm not a pet. Or a ca- Oh, wait. You said Luka. Not used to that." He gave a bow of respect. Normally, Bayonetta would refer to him as "Cheshire", named after the Cheshire Cat from Lewis Carroll's _Alice in Wonderland_. It was her pet nickname for him due to him owning a large number of cats whom he jokingly caIled his girlfriends.

"How are you, Bayonetta?" Luka asked as the wind blew his scarf in his face. He struggled a bit to get it out of his face.

"No matter where I am, you always know how to make an entrance." Bayonetta said as she grabbed his hat and began wearing it, using a store window as a mirror to see how it looked on her. "Nice glasses."

"Oh, these?" Luka asked. "Rodin has a soft spot for Shinshu sake from Japan. It was an easy trade to get him to make these for me." Bayonetta tossed him back his hat. Luka then turned to look at the twin angels. "So who are your new friends?" he asked.

"My name's Pit. And this is Dark Pit." Pit replied. "So you're Luka? Bayonetta told us a lot about you."

"She has, has she?" Luka asked.

""Yeah, she says you're an extremely lucky guy... and a bit of a perv." Dark Pit said. That got a scowl from Luka. "Well, she does tend to exaggerate a bit." he said.

"So, what brings you to Noatun?" Bayonetta asked. "Knowing you, I'm sure it's not the sights."

"Don't get it twisted, Bayonetta." Luka replied. "I'm not stalking you... _This_ time, at least. Look, I know you've got nothing but secrets. Hell, that goes for any woman, right? But if there's one thing I've learned in my line of work, it's when I've found you, I've found the story."

"What on earth are you on about this time?" Bayonetta asked.

"Don't play dumb with me." Luka replied. "You know the story better than anyone: The Umbra Witches and the Lumen Sages, two clans that wielded incredible power just 500 years ago. The clans of the Overseer, watching over us all with the 'Eyes of the World'- the power to govern light and darkness. But now I know that there really _was_ an Overseer. And this Overseer is the one who created the Eyes of the World for humanity, the same ones the clans held onto so hard. The Overseer was the true creator. The true god of the human realm. The God of Chaos."

"The God of Chaos?" Bayonetta asked.

"From what my research has told me, that god used to live right here in Noatun." Luka continued. "That's why this place has gateways to each realm of the Trinity of Realities. La Porta de Paradiso, the gateway to heaven and La Porta dell'inferno, the _real_ Gates of Hell." That got a sharp gasp from Bayonetta.

"Listen, I heard about Jeanne- Whoa!" Before Luka could say anymore, Loki, in his squirrel form, leapt out of Bayonetta's cleavage, startling the journalist and eliciting amused laughter from Pit and Bayonetta. "Some squirrels get all the nuts." Luka mused. "You're a lucky little fella, huh? Never pegged you for an animal lover, Bayonetta."

"What can I say? I took a liking to one of the locals." Bayonetta replied, petting Lori's head.

"So, he's your little tour guide, huh?" Luka teased. His tone and expression then turned serious. "Look, I know this isn't the time to chat. Lemme see what I can find out to help you."

"Just don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong, Cheshire." Bayonetta chided.

"Don't you worry about my nose." Luka replied. "I can smell trouble when I see it. You guys just take care of yourselves."

"Bye Luka. It was nice meeting you." Pit said. Luka waved goodbye and pulled out his trusty grapple hook and attempted to swing away. Unfortunately the hook lost its grip on the building and Luka found himself falling into rubble. The group just looked at each other in both amusement and confusion. "So that's your boyfriend?" Loki asked.

"Hardly." Bayonetta replied. "Just an old friend and frequent stalker."

"And a bit of a pervert from the looks of it." Loki said.

"Indeed. Let's move on." The group walked down the street and entered the harbor market. Just as they entered, an angelic barrier erected itself around the market, trapping them inside. "Not again." Pit groaned as he and the others drew their weapons. "These guys just don't give up."

"Fine with me." Dark Pit replied. "That just gives me more punching bags." In the center of the market, a small portal appeared. Out of the portal emerged a small angel with a roundish body that had two red, piercing eyes in the middle and was decorated with gold lace and ornaments. It had four limbs at the corners of its body, each ending in a claw that has golden bracelets around the wrists. It carried a large staff in the shape of a sun, complete with red and green jewels decorating it. It was an Enrapture, a Third Sphere Archangel.

"Well _that's_ bloody hideous." Bayonetta said.

"That's for sure." Loki said as he assumed human form and drew his cards. The Enrapture roared and summoned two Accolades armed with swords. The Enrapture began glowing with golden energy and the two Accolades began glowing red, being driven into a berserk frenzy. Without warning, the two Accolades charged at Pit and Dark Pit, pushing them back.

"These guys are a bit stronger than normal!" Dark Pit said as he attempted to dodge the Accolade's frenzied sword swings.

"Someone must have spiked their energy drinks!" Pit replied as he fought off the other Accolade.

"It's the Enrapture!" Bayonetta said. "We have to stop it!" Loki prepared to throw his cards at the Enrapture, but soon found himself ensnared by a golden coil by another Enrapture. "Little One!" Bayonetta called out as she attempted to break the coil. However, she was struck from behind by three more Enraptures, each firing purple beams of light from their staffs. Bayonetta screamed in pain and fell to the ground as she felt her magic and her very life force being drained from her.

"Bayonetta!" Loki shouted. Focusing all of his power, Loki erected a barrier around himself, shattering the coil ensnaring him. He then tossed his cards at the three Enraptures, killing them and preventing them from draining more of Bayonetta's magic. Bayonetta summoned her Lt. Col. Kilgore rocket launchers and fired a rocket at the Enrapture empowering the two Accolades. With their power boost gone, Pit and Dark Pit defeated them with ease, cutting them down with their blades.

"Well, we certainly make a good team, don't you think?" Bayonetta said.

"Too right!" Pit said.

"Guys, something's up with Loki." Dark Pit said. While they were busy patting themselves on the back, they didn't notice that Loki had ran off to the harbor. They followed behind him and found him groaning and clutching his head in pain. "What's wrong?" Bayonetta asked. Loki drew one of his cards as a silent warning to stay back, causing the three of them to step back. "Loki, what is it?!" Pit asked in concern.

Loki cried out as he felt a sharp pain in his head. After several seconds of groaning in pain, the boy let out a loud scream and a strange image appeared in front of him. It looked like a TV screen with horrible static. The image showed a boy dressed just like Loki except his hoodie and jeans were blue. The boy stood at the harbor facing the sea. Loki, recovering from his stinging headache, threw his card at the image, causing it to dispel. Before anyone could question what happened, a massive tidal wave appeared and was about to sweep them away.

"What the hell?!" Dark Pit exclaimed as the wall of water beared down on them. Loki and the twin angels prepared to run while Bayonetta activated Witch Time, slowing down the wave and creating a tunnel of water. She grabbed the three boys and ran through the water tunnel to the nearby church. She made it just as Witch Time wore off. Bayonetta dropped the three boys on the ground.

"Where did that crazy tidal wave come from?" Pit asked.

"Where did you learn that trick, Little One?" Bayonetta asked Loki. "I've never seen a witch-or a sage, for that matter, pull off something like that!"

"C-C'mon, love." Loki stammered. "Y-You think I'm just gonna tell you my secrets when I don't even know whose side you're on?!"

"Well given that we've done our damnedest to keep you safe so far, I'd say we're on _your_ side." Dark Pit retorted. "And if you want us to _stay_ on your side, you better start coming clean."

Seeing that he was trapped, Loki bowed his head in defeat. "Alright." he replied. "It seems I can control the 'Remembrance of Time'. That's a big deal here."

"It _seems?_ " Bayonetta asked, slightly skeptical.

"What's the Remembrance of Time?" Pit asked.

"It's... No. I got nothing else to say." Loki replied.

"A Remembrance... of Time." Bayonetta muttered to herself as she pulled out Jeanne's Umbran Watch. There was still time to save her, but not much. "What's that you're looking at?" Loki asked. Bayonetta put the watch away. "Right. Let's go." Bayonetta replied. "I've got a party, and I've no intention of being late." Bayonetta kicked in the door of the church and the four of them entered the ruins of what used to be the Room of Prayer.

The group went up the stairs to the central platform where they were ambushed yet again by two Accolades. This variant wore golden armor and held large hammers in their hands. "Not you guys again..." Pit groaned.

"Two against four?" Bayonetta sardonically asked. "Hardly sporting if you ask me."

"Say, I got a question." Dark Pit asked as he pulled out four rings. Two were gold and two were red. "I found these in Rodin's shop. Are these weapons?"

"That's Rodin's personal weapons." Bayonetta replied. "They change into whatever shape you want them to."

" _Really?_ " Dark Pit asked as he put the rings on each of his wrists and ankles. "So if I wanted them to change into, say, Samus Aran's arm cannon, I could?" Dark Pit outstretched his arm and it was enveloped in a golden light as the ring transformed into a gold-colored version of Samus Aran's arm cannon. "Awesome!" Dark Pit exclaimed as he pointed the cannon at the Accolades. "Eat Super Missiles!" Dark Pit fired a missile at the Accolades, sending him reeling from the shock. The Accolades attempted to fly away, but were far to late as the missile hit them, the explosion destroying them completely.

"Whoa..." Dark Pit said as he watched the smoldering pile of ash that used to be the two Accolades. The only thing that remained were their hammers. "I'm _so_ keeping these." Loki, meanwhile, was looking around the room in curiosity. There was something familiar about this room, almost as if he had been here before. At that point, he felt another sharp pain in his head. That's when another image appeared. It was the same boy from before. He was in the Room of Prayer, but appeared to be floating in midair.

The boy turned to face Loki, his lips curled into a sinister sneer. That's when they saw that he looked exactly like Loki, only he lacked the gold chain and goggles Loki usually wore. Also, the boy's expression was one of purest malice. "If you... Were gone..." he began "It'd all be-" Before he could finish,Loki threw his cards at the image, causing it to swirl and disperse. A bright light flashed and when it faded, the four were shocked to find the room completely restored to its original state.

"What just happened?" Pit asked.

"That was the Remembrance of Time." Loki replied.

"So basically, you're a walking rewind button." Dark Pit said.

"Something like that." Loki shrugged as it was the best way to describe it.

"Well, I know who I can call when I need my house redecorated." Bayonetta said. "Now let's move." The four of them walked up the spiral staircase to a platform on the top of the room where Loki used his powers to restore a wall and a diamond-shaped object. "Hey, that looks like that ramp we saw earlier." Pit said.

"You're right." Bayonetta replied. "And it should work the same way." Bayonetta and the group leapt through the diamond and found themselves walking on the wall. They walked up the Room of Prayer, but soon found themselves facing more Angels of Paradiso. This one was a Belief. "Here we go again." Dark Pit said as the four drew their weapons. The Belief opened its face and spat a glob of green goo from its true mouth at Loki, trapping him and pinning him to the floor.

"Bloody hell!" Loki shouted as he struggled to get loose. "Get this shit off me!"

"I got him." Pit said as he went to Loki's side and attempted to cut him free. Bayonetta and Dark Pit opened fire with their respective guns and Dark Pit Staff. The Belief lashed out with its tentacle arm. Dark Pit dodged to the side while Bayonetta grabbed its tentacle arm and slammed the Belief to the ground. The angel struggled to get up only for Bayonetta to perform a Heel Stomp.

Pit managed to get Loki free and immediately joined the fight, summoning his Taurus Arm and delivering a punch so powerful that it sent the Belief flying back into the barrier and cracked some of its armor. "There's no time for this." Bayonetta said. "Time to wrap this up. EX FA!" Bayonetta's clothing dissolved into a spiral of hair as she summoned another demon. This demon was a gigantic purple toad with red eyes, a white underbelly, and a red and gold crown on her head nested between two horn-like appendages. She had two rings at the side of her mouth which have two skulls dangling from threads, similar to earrings. Spikes also adorned the demon's back. Disturbingly, the demon was female as she had a generous bust. This was Baal, Empress of the Fathoms.

Baal lashed out at the Belief with her long tongue, which was covered in large blue spikes. The Belief made a futile attempt to run, but was swiftly devoured by the frog demon. Pit watched the whole thing in open-mouthed horror. Baal licked her lips in satisfaction before returning to Inferno. "Bon Appetit." Bayonetta said with a sadistic smirk.

"How many demons do you have in that hair of yours?" Pit asked.

"Oh, a lot." Bayonetta casually remarked before blowing an Infernal Kiss at the barrier. "You might get to see all of them, if you're lucky."

"Somehow, I'm not looking forward to that." Pit replied.

"Whatever, mate!" Loki said. "Let's keep moving. We're almost there."

"Almost where?" Dark Pit asked.

"You'll see." Loki replied. "Now let's go." The four of them continued to make their way up the Room of Prayer until they arrived at a door. Walking through it, they ended up outside on a bridge that led to a strange diamond-shaped building. "Ah, there it is." Loki said.

"What's that place?" Pit said. "I thought we were heading to Fimbulventr."

"You don't just _walk_ into Fimbulventr." Loki replied. "We're going to have to be creative, mates, if we're ever going to make it." He pointed at the building. "Look over there. That's the Cathedral of Cascades. It was used for ritual worship of the mountain. Inside, there's a device that can build a 'Bridge to the Heavens'. It will take us halfway up Fimbulventr. An express pass. Right, mates?"

"Seems something finally came to mind, Little One." Bayonetta said. "While you're in the remembering mood, you wouldn't happen to know where the entrance to Inferno is up there, would you?"

"Inferno?!" Loki laughed. "You guys must be in some shit if you're _voulnteering_ to go there. Let me put it this way, love. Once we get to the mountain, you'll get your choice of going up or going down. Fimbulventr doesn't let you just stick around."

"And which way will you be heading?" Bayonetta asked.

"Me?" Loki was about to say something, but clutched his head in pain as he felt another headache coming on. "What's wrong, Little One?" Bayonetta teased. "Scared of what comes next?"

"Shut up!" Loki snapped. "Just... Get me to the mountain!"

"What's with you?!" Pit asked.

"Get away from me!" Loki threw a card at the trio. Unbeknownst to the group, a whirlpool was forming in the waters below. The whirlpool erupted into a waterspout that shattered the bridge and sent Loki sailing into the air. "Little One!" Bayonetta shouted. Out of the waterspout emerged none other than Glamor, who promptly devoured the boy. "Bothersome child."The First Sphere Seraphim said. "Loptr demands your presence. Assuming you survive the journey inside."

"They just never make this easy." Bayonetta said as she leapt onto a piece of the bridge and used it as a makeshift surfboard. Pit summoned the Three Sacred Treasures while Dark Pit activated his Pegasus Wings and the three of them chased after Glamor, intent on rescuing Loki.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: The Gates of Paradise. Next Time on _Bayonetta 2!_ Kidnapping in progress! Just as our heroes nearly reached the Cathedral of Cascades, Loki ends up captured by the angel Glamor, resulting in a fight that spans all the way to the realm of Paradiso. Will our heroes be able to rescue their friend? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**


	8. Ch 3: The Gates of Paradise

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! After reuniting with Bayonetta's old friend Luka Redgrave, the group continued on their quest to the sacred mountain of Fimbulventr. Just as they reached a bridge leading to the Cathedral of Cascades, the angel Glamor returned and promptly kidnapped Loki. Can our heroes rescue the young boy before it's too late? Find out, now!**

Things just never seem to be easy. It seemed that the group was a hop, skip, and a jump away from reaching Fimbulventr when Loki ended up spirited away by Glamor. Now here they were, having to play rescuer. The trio chased after the First Sphere Seraphim as she swam up the waterspout. Bayonetta rode on the piece of the broken bridge like a surfboard while the twin angels flew alongside her. "The Umbra Witch and the traitor angels." Glamor said. "Why do you pursue me?"

"This little one's made us a deal." Bayonetta replied. "He's our guide, and he's not done guiding us."

"Then pursue me if you must." Glamor said. "You will find naught but your deaths."

"I think we're going in entirely different directions." Bayonetta replied. Glamor lashed out at the trio with her tail. They dodged to avoid the tail swipe and Bayonetta summoned her Kafka bow and began firing poisoned arrows at Glamor. Pit opened fire on the Seraphim with his Arrows of Light. Dark Pit summoned his Aurum Orbitars and began firing lasers. Glamor roared in pain and swam ahead to avoid the combined assault.

Using the waterspout, Glamor sent pieces of debris flying towards the trio. The trio skillfully weaved from side to side to avoid the debris. Glamor emerged from the water and spat several ice shards. Pit moved in front of Dark Pit and Bayonetta and used his Mirror Shield to generate a giant energy barrier, reflecting all the shards back at Glamor. Enraged, Glamor rammed into the barrier in a rash attempt to shatter it, but only succeeded in stunning itself. The trio took advantage of its weakened state and assailed it with melee attacks.

Glamor recovered and dove into the water. ""Look out!" Pit shouted. Glamor emerged from below and attempted to bite Bayonetta. The witch leapt up, summoned a Wicked Weave, and delivered several fast punches before punching Glamor into the waterspout. Glamor swam away again as the trio gave chase once more. The trio avoided debris as they pursued the angel up the waterspout.

After what seemed like an eternity, they saw a light at the end of the tunnel. After heading through the light, the trio found themselves in a strange other realm. There were clouds and numerous floating islands against a backdrop of ethereally golden sky. It seemed to be constantly raining feathers. The most noticeable feature were the giant golden gates. Bayonetta jumped off the piece of debris she was surfing on and summoned Malphas' wings. They seemed to have lost sight of Glamor. "What is this place?" Dark Pit asked.

"Welcome to Paradiso." Bayonetta replied. "Home of the Angels."

"Wow..." Pit said as he looked around in complete awe at the extravagant sight of it all. "It's just like Skyworld." Pit's sightseeing was rudely interrupted when a Glamor flew by, narrowly hitting him. It was soon joined by two other Glamor. "We've got a problem!" Dark Pit said.

"Which one has Loki?!" Pit asked.

"Split up!" Bayonetta commanded. We each take a Glamor! Find Loki!"

"Right!" Pit and Dark Pit replied in unison. The trio split off and flew to confront each Glamor. Pit flew to the Glamor on the left. "If you have my friend, then let him go!" the angel demanded. The Glamor responded by firing ice shards from its mouth. Pit dodged the shards and returned fire with his Arrows of Light, hitting it in its stone face. "Fine, we'll do it the hard way." Glamor dived at Pit and attempted to bite him. Pit dodged the bite and slashed at its stone face. The angel roared in pain and tried to slash at him, but Pit nimbly dodged its fierce claw swipes and summoned his Drill Arm before charging at Glamor, piercing a hole through its porcelain face and body, killing it instantly. "He's not in there." Pit said.

Dark Pit had caught up to the other Glamor and began firing several arrows at it with his Silver Bow. Glamor turned around and fired several ice shards from its mouth. Dark Pit nimbly dodged the shards and pulled out his End-All Arm, firing several charged shots at the Seraphim. The angel was blown back by the force of the shot, but quickly sprang back into action. Dark Pit summoned his Doom Cannon and fired a charged shot at Glamor's mouth, causing it to explode from the inside out. "Well, that was a let down." Dark Pit said.

The twin angels caught up to Bayonetta, who was chasing another Glamor. "This one has Loki!" she said.

"How can you tell?" Pit asked.

"I can sense Loki's energy." Bayonetta replied. "We have to hurry! If it gets through those gates, we'll lose Loki forever!" Bayonetta summoned Lt. Col. Kilgore and fired two missiles at Glamor to get its attention. Glamor roared in anger and spat ice shards at the trio. They dodged the shards and Pit returned fire with his Gemini Orbitars. Dark Pit fired several shots from his Cursed Palm. Glamor blocked the shots with its claws and fired off several golden feathers at the trio.

Pit used his Mirror Shield to reflect its feathers back at it. Bayonetta saw an opening and summoned her Takemikazuchi hammer and smashed at the Seraphim's head, sending it reeling back. Glamor recovered and charged at the heroes, who narrowly moved out of the way. Glamor quickly turned around and lashed out with her tail, knocking Pit and Dark Pit away. Bayonetta pulled out her Kafka bow and fired several poisoned arrows at Glamor.

As the arrows hit their mark, the poison slowed down Glamor's reflexes. The beast tried to take a swipe at Bayonetta, but the Umbra Witch causally moved to the side and countered with a Wicked Punch. Pit and Dark Pit recovered and attacked Glamor with their respective Capricorn and Black Clubs. Glamor roared in fury and two more Glamor flew to its side.

"Seems it brought some friends." Pit said.

"This is taking too long!" Dark Pit complained.

"Agreed. Let's cut to the chase then. SUNDENNA!" Bayonetta's clothing dissolved into a spiral of hair as she summoned another Infernal Demon. The three Glamors charged at Bayonetta, but were stopped by her new demon. This one was a large, black horse with four long spikes adorning both of its sides at the top of its body and red flames appear in place of a mane and tail, and eight legs, four in front and four on the back. Its most striking feature, however, was its long, sword-like horn protruding out of its forehead that resembles a unicorn's horn. The was Diomedes, the Severer of the Dark.

Diomedes tossed the three Glamors into the air and leapt after them. It then swung its head rapidly, slicing them to ribbons with its sword horn. The two Glamors fell to the ground in pieces while the lead Glamor remained in midair. "Umbra Witch... No, Overseer of Darkness." she said weakly. "You. Protecting the Sovereign One. He will never be allowed to reach the mountain!"

"I don't recall asking for your permission." Bayonetta replied. "Oh, and I was wrong about our final destinations. Going down." A portal to Inferno opened behind Glamor as demonic hands emerged to drag her away. "Um, aren't you forgetting something?" Pit asked. Bayonetta's face lit up with realization. "Fuck. The boy. Forgot about that." Bayonetta shot at Glamor's exposed flesh, causing Loki to fly out.

"I got him!" Dark Pit said as he flew to Loki's aid. Suddenly, with one final burst of strength, Glamor spat several ice shards at Dark Pit just as he reached Loki, forcing him to dodge as Loki fell through the clouds. "...Well, I _had_ him." Dark Pit said rather sheepishly.

"I got him." Pit said as he chased Loki through the clouds. Bayonetta glared at Glamor, who merely laughed triumphantly as she was dragged into Inferno. "Bloody fucking hell." Bayonetta cursed as she and Dark Pit followed Pit.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, In Dyntos' Workshop**_ _ **...**_

"Well, we finally fixed it." Dyntos said. After hours of tinkering and toiling, the group managed to repair the Dimension Eye. Now came the far more difficult task: finding the twin angels and bringing them home.

"Now we can focus on finding Pit and Dark Pit." Palutena said.

"But how do we do that?" Viridi asked. "They could be anywhere."

"That's where this baby comes in." Dyntos went to a nearby table and grabbed a strange helmet before giving it to Palutena. "While you lot were repairing the Dimension Eye, I crafted this helmet. It's designed to be used in conjunction with the Dimension Eye. It will enhance your telepathy and allow you to scan the different worlds for the two angels."

"But how do I use it?" Palutena asked.

"Just put it on and get close to the Dimension Eye." Dyntos replied. "It will respond to your thoughts." Palutena put on the helmet and walked towards the Dimension Eye. On cue, the machine whirred to life. Palutena closed her eyes to focus her telepathy as she worked to locate the twin angels.

"While Palutena's doing that, how are we supposed to bring them back?" Viridi asked.

"I have an idea, but it's really risky." Dyntos began. "We're going to recreate the accident that sent them to another world. If we can generate enough energy and overload the Dimension Eye, we can create a rift in space that can let us get them back."

"But how can we possibly generate that much energy?" Arlon asked.

"I think I can help with that." Phosphora said. "I have a special treadmill I use when I'm exercising. It generates electricity when I run. If we hook it up to the Dimension Eye, I should be able to generate enough electricity to overload it."

"I don't know." Dyntos said. "It we overload it too much, it could cause a bigger rift that could swallow the whole workshop into whatever world Pit and Dark Pit are in."

"If it means getting Pit and Dark Pit back, I'm willing to take that risk." Viridi said. "I say we go with Phosphora's idea."

"If you're willing to try, then I'm willing to stand with you." Arlon said.

"Then it's settled." Dyntos said. "Get the treadmill here and we'll hook it up to the Dimension Eye. I just hope Palutena can find them before it's too late to save them."

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: The Two Meet. Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ The fight with Glamor has left our heroes separated from one another. As the group scrambles to reunite and continue their quest, they are unaware that someone else is stalking the streets of Noatun, someone with vengeance on his mind and eyes set on Loki. Will our heroes survive their first encounter with the Masked Lumen? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**


	9. Ch 4: The Two Meet

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! Our heroes were about to reach the Cathedral of Cascades when they were interrupted by a surprise attack from the angel Glamor, who kidnapped Loki. The group managed to defeat Glamor and rescue Loki, but now find themselves separated in a ruined part of Noatun. Now as the group attempts to reunite, they are unaware that someone is hunting** ** _them_** **. Find out what happens, now!**

 **OOC: Sorry this is late. Was watching walkthroughs of** ** _Breath of the Wild,_ which I'll be novelizing soon.**

Loki was falling through the sky with Pit in pursuit. As Pit caught up with Loki, Loki gradually regained consciousness and found himself in freefall. "WHAT?!" he shouted. Just as he was about to hit the ground, he transformed into a flying squirrel right as Pit was about to grab him. Unfortunately, Loki flew right into Luka, who happened to be swinging his way into the area. Loki landed on Luka's face, causing him to lose control of his grappling hook and crash into Pit.

"OOOHHHHH SHIIIIITTTTT!" Luka screamed as he, Pit, and Loki crashed through the roof of a building. Luka emerged out of the hole, clutching his head and shaking the dust off of him. "What the fuck was _that?!_ " he groaned. At that instant, Loki emerged right next to him. "Wait... Who the fuck are _you?!_ " he asked.

"Hey. You're the pervert staring at Bayonetta's tits all the time." Loki replied as he pulled himself out of the hole. "You really need to learn how to talk to a lady!"

"Hey! I am no-" Luka started to say.

"No time for this, mate!" Loki cut him off. "Where's the mountain? Where's Fimbulventr?! I'm in a hurry!" He then began to walk away. That's when Pit emerged out of the hole too. "H-Hey! Loki, wait for me!" Pit said. "You can't walk off by yourself!" The angel activated his Pegasus Wings and took off after him.

Hey kids, wait!" Luka shouted, but the two boys were too far away to hear him. "What the hell was that? Kids these days." With that, Luka used his grappling hook and swung away. Just as he left, Bayonetta and Dark Pit appeared. "So much for a cat always landing on his feet, Cheshire." she said as she looked into the hole. "He's not here."

"Neither is Pit and Loki." Dark Pit replied. "But they couldn't have gotten far. And knowing Pit, they probably stopped to get a bite to eat."

"Well, I suppose one of them is an adult, so they'll probably be okay." Bayonetta chuckled. Unbeknownst to the two of them, they were being watched. Atop the building behind Bayonetta stood a man dressed in extravagant white robes and wearing a golden mask that completely concealed his face. In his hand, he held a double-bladed halberd. He stared at Bayonetta and Dark Pit intensely for a while. A large piece of debris was about to fall on him, but without even turning to look, the man slashed at the debris with his Holy Glaive.

The noise was enough to draw Bayonetta's attention and she turned behind her for the source of the noise, but the man was gone. "What's wrong?" Dark Pit asked.

"Nothing. Thought I heard a noise." Bayonetta replied. "Let's get moving. The quicker we find them, the sooner we get to Fimbulventr." Dark Pit nodded in agreement and the two made their way across the rooftops when they were suddenly impeded by another heavenly barrier. Out of the portal to Paradiso emerged a jellyfish-like angel with a round body adorned with several golden fins. At the front of its head were three human faces that converged at a small hole on the front that acted as a mouth. Behind its body, several tentacles with gold spike ornaments stuck out and Third Sphere halos hovered around each tentacle. This was a Fidelity, a Third Sphere Archangel.

"Another angel?" Dark Pit asked.

"Pretty much." Bayonetta replied. The Fidelity made the first move and fired an orb of golden energy at the two. They leapt out of the way as the orb exploded and Dark Pit opened fire with arrows from his Silver Bow. The Fidelity swam through the air and dodged the arrows, then fought back with energy blades from its tentacles. Dark Pit defended against its blades with his bow, but the Fidelity pounced on Dark Pit, pinning him to the ground. Dark Pit struggled to throw the angel off of him as the Fidelity prepared to fire a laser blast at Dark Pit.

Before it could fire, however, Bayonetta grabbed the angel with her Kulshedra whip and yanked it off of him. "Now that's just rude." Bayonetta chided. "Ignoring a lady. I see you need some discipline." With a snap of her fingers, Bayonetta summoned a demonic rotisserie and trapped the Fidelity inside. She then began turning the rotisserie rapidly, causing the flames to grow bigger and bigger until the rotisserie exploded, burning the angel alive.

"Fried calamari, anyone?" Bayonetta sardonically quipped. "It's quite heavenly."

"You really get off on this, do you?" Dark Pit replied.

"Oh absolutely." Bayonetta replied as they continued onwards only to be stopped by a tower. Bayonetta promptly kicked it down, creating a makeshift bridge to what appeared to be the half-sunken ruins of a tower. As they ran across the building, it suddenly collapsed from under them. Thankfully though, the light of the full moon allowed Bayonetta to use her Witch Walk on the building. When they landed, they were ambushed yet again by a shield wielding Accolade accompanied by two Compassions.

"Persistent guys, aren't they?" Dark Pit asked.

"Quite." Bayonetta replied. "They just rush at me like crazed fans. They never seem to learn that I _don't_ accept autographs!" She pulled out her Onyx Roses shotguns and opened fire on the Accolade only for her bullets to be deflected by the angel's shield. The Accolade charged at Bayonetta, but the Umbra Witch slid underneath the Accolade and fired her Lt. Col. Kilgore rocket launchers, sending the angel flying into the air. She leapt after it and summoned a bear trap with a chain. She wrapped the chain around the angel and pulled it into the bear trap, gruesomely snapping it in half.

The two Compassions surrounded Dark Pit and prepared to rush him, but Dark Pit jumped onto one of them and rode it like a surfboard, impaling the other one. Dark Pit then leapt off it and fired a shot from his Cursed Palm, killing them both. With the angels dead, the two walked up the tower and reached a door. Dark Pit kicked the door in, but the two were forced to jump out of the way when a massive laser fired from behind them, destroying a chunk of the tower.

An Urbane lunged at the duo and attempted to crush them with its mace, but they dodged it and opened fire with their weapons. The Urbane swung its mace at them, but Bayonetta grabbed the mace and threw the Urbane into the air. Dark Pit pulled out his Black Club and leapt after it and batted it towards Bayonetta, who used a Wicked Weave to punch it hard into a wall. When it fell to the ground, she used a Wicked Uppercut to send it into the air, then crushed it inbetween Madama Butterfly's fists.

"Well, I think you've been tenderized enough." Bayonetta said. ""Time for my pet to have a snack. ARGEDCO!" Bayonetta's clothing dissolved into a spiral of hair as she summoned Labolas from Inferno. The demonic canine pounced on the Urbane, using the mouths on its paws to pin it down. Labolas bit hard into the angel's body and pulled with such force that it tore its body from its arms. Labolas then crunched down on the Urbane, killing it in a spray of blood and gore. With a satisfied roar, Labolas returned to Inferno.

"Well that was a lovely little workout." Bayonetta said.

"Was a little too easy for me." Dark Pit replied.

"They always are. Especially once you get used to them." Bayonetta and Dark Pit looked at each other and laughed a bit. "Let's get moving." Bayonetta said. "I think I can sense Loki's presence. We're getting close." Bayonetta kicked the door open and the two continued their search.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, at another part of the city...**_

Loki jumped down from a nearby building and landed in the city plaza. "No time!" he shouted. "I have to get to Fimbulventr!" He took a few steps forward, but Pit landed right in front of him, catching his breath as he spent most of his time trying to chase after him. "Will you stop for a minute?!" he said. "Just listen! We need to find the others! You can't just run off by yourself! Besides, do you even know _why_ you need to go to Fimbulventr?"

Loki turned to the side as he was lost in thought. "Why? Why do I need to go there?" he asked himself. "What is on the mountain...?" The youth then clutched his head as he felt another headache coming. "My head feels like it's gonna burst!" Groaning from the pain, Loki shouted, "I have to get to that mountain!" Pit was about to say something, but he sensed that something was approaching. On instinct, Pit grabbed Loki by the arm and pulled him out of the way just as a man dressed in white robes and a golden mask dived down onto the plaza, nearly slicing Loki in two with his Holy Glaive.

"Shit! What was _that?!_ " Loki cursed as he and Pit stared at their attacker. With a dramatic flourish, the masked man turned to face the two youths. "Who are you?" Pit demanded. "Why did you attack us?" The man said nothing in response. "Nice mask, mate." Loki said in an attempt to break the tension. "Headed to that witch's party? Not the best costume I've ever seen, but she doesn't seem like the picky type. Just don't get in my way."

"Where is she?" the man asked. That got a chuckle out of Loki. "So you _are_ going to her party. Quite the popular one, isn't she?" Pit, meanwhile, had his Palutena Bow drawn and separated into twin blades, ready to fight if necessary. "Sorry, mate." Loki went on. "We haven't the fucking slightest. Besides, even if I knew, she and I have a special... _relationship_."

"Then this will be all the easier." the man said as he threateningly pointed his Holy Glaive at Loki. "Shit." Loki muttered. Pit, however, jumped in between Loki and the masked man. "What are you doing?!" Pit asked angrily. "Why are you attacking us?!"

"Stand down, angel." The man demanded. "This does not concern you."

"You're trying to hurt my friend." Pit retorted. "You bet it concerns me."

"If you're _his_ friend, then you're _my_ enemy." the man replied.

"We don't _have_ to be enemies." Pit protested. "I don't know what's going on, but maybe we can-aah!" Pit was cut off by a fireball attack from the masked man that sent him flying backwards into a nearby fountain. "Pit!" Loki shouted. He threw his cards at the masked man, but the man materialized a peacock feather and hurled it at Loki, deflecting his cards and nearly hitting the boy. Loki dodged the feather, but found himself at the mercy of the masked man.

Pit, meanwhile, woke up just in time to see the man advance on Loki. "You know what? To hell with diplomacy." Pit summoned his Taurus Arm and charged at the man, punching him with enough force that the man was sent flying a few feet off the ground. The man recovered and quickly rose to his feet while Pit and Loki dropped into fighting stances and prepared to battle the masked man.

* * *

Not too far from where Pit and Loki were, Dark Pit and Bayonetta were walking through a café area in the streets when all of a sudden, Dark Pit screamed in pain and kneeled over, clutching his chest. "What's wrong?!" Bayonetta asked.

"Pit..." Dark Pit said through gritted teeth. "He's in trouble. We gotta move!"

"How do you know?" Bayonetta asked.

"We're the same person, so we share a psychic connection." Dark Pit answered. "Anything he feels, I feel. I can sense he and Loki are in danger!"

"Where are they?" Bayonetta asked.

"Not too far from here. Let's move!" The two made their way through the café area, running through the ruins of a destroyed tower before ending up in a small alley. They ran through the alley and reached a door leading to the plaza. Through the other side of the door, they could hear the sounds of fighting.

Bayonetta kicked down the door and the two saw Pit and Loki engaged in a losing battle with a masked man dressed in white clothes. Pit and Loki tried their best to fight back, but the masked man was a far more formidable opponent and deflected all of their attacks, forcing the two on the defensive. The man kicked the two boys away, knocking them to the ground with enough force to cause Loki's hood to fly back and reveal his braided white hair.

The man moved to deal the killing blow only to be stopped by Bayonetta, who deflected the Glaive with her foot, causing him to jump back. Bayonetta and Dark Pit opened fire on the man with their respective weapons, but he dodged their shots with blinding speed. "You guys?!" Loki shouted.

"What kind of adult picks on little children?" Bayonetta mockingly asked.

"I'm not a child!" Loki protested.

"I had a handle on this, you know!" Pit complained.

" _Right_. You were just luring him into a false sense of security." came Dark Pit's sarcastic reply. Bayonetta, meanwhile, stared at the mysterious man in white, who stared back in kind. "A mask?" she asked. "Let me guess... this one of your assistants, Little One?"

"Nothing comes to mind, love. Sorry." Loki replied. "Maybe you've got something you'd like to tell me? I'm not a fan of getting wrapped up in domestic disputes."

"Trust me, little one, he's not my type." Bayonetta said. The masked man made the first move and threw his Glaive at Bayonetta. She narrowly dodged the weapon, but the man reappeared behind them and tried to strike at Bayonetta, only for Bayonetta to counter with her guns. The two traded blows for a bit, Bayonetta countering his Glaive strikes with her guns. The man attempted to stab her only for Bayonetta to grab his Glaive and twirl around on it like a pole dancer.

She then fired at the man with the gun on her heel, but the man somehow managed to slow down time and move the bullets out of his face. That caused a small gasp of surprise to escape her as she jumped off his Glaive. She recognized that move. It was Light Speed, a power that allowed one to slow down time. It was the Lumen Sages' version of Witch Time. But then that would mean...

"Oh my. You're a Lumen Sage?!" Bayonetta asked with astonishment as she adjusted her glasses with her guns. "Cheeky. No one bothered telling me any of your kind survived."

"IZIZOP!" That was the Masked Lumen's only reply as he materialized small flaming meteors and hurled them at Bayonetta. Bayonetta used the Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa bracelet to create a barrier to defend against his fireballs. "At least you're the silent type." she said. "The last sage I met spent 20 minutes rambling on and on!" The Masked Lumen disappeared from view, only to reappear in front of Bayonetta to take a swing at her with his Holy Glaive. Bayonetta blocked the Glaive with her guns, then kicked him away.

Lori and the twin angels ran to Bayonetta's aid. "Stay back!" she demanded.

"But we can help!" Pit protested.

"It's alright!" Bayonetta replied. "I can handle this!" The Masked Lumen split his Holy Glaive into twin blades and charged at Bayonetta. Bayonetta opened fire on the sage with her guns, but he formed a barrier to defend against her bullets and lunged at her with blades extended. Using Witch Time to dodge the attack, Bayonetta threw a Wicked Punch at the Masked Lumen, sending him flying into a building.

The Masked Lumen recovered and fired several orbs of lightning at Bayonetta. Bayonetta gracefully avoided the orbs and pulled out her Kafka bow to fire several arrows at the sage. The Masked Lumen used Light Speed to slow down time and grabbed the arrows out of the sky and rearranged them in a circle around Bayonetta. When the effect wore off, Bayonetta ducked to avoid the arrows, then performed a Stiletto dash at the Masked Lumen.

The Lumen raised another barrier just as she collided with it, the force of the blow pushing the Lumen back. Bayonetta backflipped away and fired two rockets from Lt. Col. Kilgore. The Masked Lumen leapt into the air and materialized three peacock feathers. "ZIRACHAH!" he shouted as he threw the feathers into the air. The feathers came together and formed a portal to Paradiso.

Out from the portal came a colossal two-headed dragon coated in metal armor on the heads, necks, and partly on the wings, with jewels of similar colors on each forehead. The left head had blue armor and the right head had red armor. It's most prominent feature was the large upside-down face on his chest. This was Fortitudo, the Cardinal Virtue of Fortitude, one of the four Auditio of Paradiso.

" _WHERE THE HELL DID HE GET A DRAGON?!_ " Dark Pit asked. The angelic dragon breathed a stream of fire from its twin heads, causing lava to erupt from the ground itself. "Mates, it's getting a little hot in here!" Loki said as he and the twin angels tried to avoid the eruptions. On instinct, Pit grabbed Loki and the twin angels took to the air.

From their new vantage point, the trio watched as Bayonetta continued her battle with the Masked Lumen. The plaza around them was reduced to a pool of lava with buildings sinking into the lava, the only thing remaining was a small piece of the ground that the two fought on. As Bayonetta and the Masked Lumen fought, their respective familiars, Labolas and Fortitudo, were engaged in battle as well, the two giant beasts wrestled each other into the lava.

"We should help her!" Pit protested.

" _Help her?!_ " Dark Pit asked. "What the hell can _we_ do?!"

"He's right, mate." Loki chuckled. "There's nothing much we can do but enjoy the show." And what a show it was! The two combatants continued their epic duel, seemingly unfazed by the environment falling to pieces around them. Bayonetta fired off several shots from her guns, but the Masked Lumen used his barrier to deflect her bullets, then fired an electric orb at Bayonetta, who used her Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa barrier to send it back at him.

The Lumen leapt into the air and dived at Bayonetta with Glaive extended in an attempt to impale her. Unable to activate Witch Time fast enough, she used Bat Within to disperse into a swarm of bats and reform behind him to land a Wicked Punch that nearly sent him into the lava. The sage planted his Glaive into the ground and swung around to land back on the platform.

"LAVAVOTH!" he shouted. That caused more eruptions of lava to occur from underneath Bayonetta. Bayonetta transformed into her Panther form and charged at the Lumen, avoiding the lava eruptions as she did. When she caught up to the Lumen, she quickly transformed back into her human form and delivered a powerful dropkick that sent him flying off the platform. The Masked Lumen quickly recovered though, and sprouted twelve peacock feathers from his back.

Meanwhile, Labolas and Fortitudo continued their struggle. The angelic dragon threw Labolas aside and prepared to breath fire at Bayonetta, but the demonic canine came to its master's aid and bit into Fortitudo's necks with the mouths on its paws, then bit into the chin on the upside-down face on its torso. The Masked Lumen threw his Holy Glaive at Labolas, killing the beast instantly.

"PDEE VARMA!" Bayonetta chanted as she summoned her signature demon: Madama Butterfly, fully manifesting her into the real world. In response, the Masked Lumen threw three peacock feathers into the air and shouted "HONONOL!". Another portal to Paradiso formed and out from it emerged a colossal angel. It had no legs and had a human-like stone face with a yellow gemstone embedded on its forehead on its chest. It's arms were attached to its body via an orange light and rotating golden rings. On the end of these arms were four tube-like appendages which acted similarly to hands. Along parts of his body were hemispheres, each with a pulsing spot in them. There were five in total, one on each arm, two on the bottom of the main body and one on his back. Like all angels, it wore a giant halo. This was Tempermantia, the Cardinal Virtue of Temperance. Another of the four Auditio of Paradiso.

Tempermantia roared and used its power over wind to conjure a mighty storm. The fierce winds whipped through the sky and pretty soon pieces of debris from the city below began flying around. The twin angels struggled to avoid being swept away by the winds or smashed by debris. "This is intense!" Pit shouted.

"More like insane!" Dark Pit replied.

"At this rate, they're gonna tear the whole bloody city to shreds!" Lori shouted. Bayonetta and the Masked Lumen had taken to the skies to continue their duel. The Lumen Sage threw several fireballs at Bayonetta, who skillfully evaded them all before firing off several arrows from her Kafka bow. The Lumen used Light Speed to avoid the arrows, then charged at Bayonetta with his Holy Glaive. Bayonetta took out her Salmandra chainsaws and blocked the Glaive strike before trying to take a swing at him.

The Lumen Sage detached his Glaive into twin blades and blocked the chainsaw swing, the friction of the two weapons causing sparks to fly, eventually pushing the two back. The Masked Lumen commanded Tempermantia to attack. The Auditio turned his hands into machine guns and fired several rapid shots at Madama Butterfly, who raised up her arms in defense. Once the barrage was over, Madama Butterfly retaliated with a powerful headbutt that sent the angel flying into nearby buildings.

Tempermantia recovered and charged at Madama Butterfly, ready to deliver an electrified punch. Madama Butterfly deflected its punch with her own fist and punched it in the face several times, each powerful blow chipping away at Tempermantia's marble skin and exposing the grotesque flesh underneath. Tempermantia eventually managed to land a punch on Madama Butterfly and the two titans exchanged blows for a while.

Their fists eventually collided in a powerful punch, the force of the blow causing an explosion that caused both of them to unmanifest from the world, as well as push back their masters. Bayonetta jumped off a piece of floating debris and performed an Afterburner Kick towards the Masked Lumen just as he charged at her with his Glaive. The massive shockwave from the colliding weapons sent Loki and the twin angels flying back as well as Bayonetta and the Masked Lumen.

The stormy sky had vanished, the city below was in ruins, but the combatants had vanished. It seemed their battle had ended in a draw... for now.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ After a climatic battle with the Masked Lumen, Bayonetta and the gang manage to reach the Cathedral of Cascades. Now they must find a device to build the "Bridge to the Heavens" that will allow them to reach Fimbulventr. Will the heroes finally accomplish their goals? Or will fate waylay their plans yet again? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**


	10. Ch 5: The Cathedral of Cascades

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! After being separated from each other, our heroes managed to regroup just in time to save Loki from being attacked by a masked Lumen Sage. After an epic fight, Bayonetta managed drive the Sage back. Now our heroes continue their journey towards Fimbulventr. Find out what happens, now!**

 **OOC: Sorry for the delay! Between my birthday and everything else, it's been a busy few weeks.**

A loud splash ripped through the air as Bayonetta and the gang fell into the water below, having fallen from the sky after a climatic battle with a masked Lumen Sage. The force of their colliding blows sent them flying into the water. As they sank into the ocean's depths, it seemed they were heading to a watery grave. But Loki, who was still awake, swam to an unconscious Bayonetta and... kissed her? Well, that's what it looked like, but in actuality, he was transferring some of his energy to Bayonetta.

Once he was done, the young man passed out from exhaustion. Bayonetta slowly regained consciousness and realized where she was. And she also felt a surge of energy flowing through her. " _The energy Loki gave me helped me realize a new power._ " she thought. On instinct, she used her Beast Within and transformed. This time, instead of a flock of bats, a panther, or a crow, she turned into a cobra.

"Well _this_ is new." Bayonetta said. "Was expecting something a tad more dramatic, but beggars can't be choosers I suppose." She used her tail and grabbed the twin angels by their wings as she swam upward, grabbing Loki by the hood using her fangs. She then leapt out of the water and transformed back into human form, dropping Pit and Dark Pit on the ground like a pair of freshly caught fish while she carried the unconscious Loki to a nearby slab of stone.

The twin angels regained consciousness and began coughing up water. "So, who else doesn't wanna go swimming for a while?" Dark Pit asked.

"What happened?" Pit asked. "Where are we?" Bayonetta, meanwhile, laid Loki down on the slab of stone and sat down next to him. "Now _why_ did you go and do that, Little One?" she asked him. Loki, however, didn't respond. "Wake up." Bayonetta said. Pit and Dark Pit ran to Bayonetta's side. "Loki?" Pit asked, voice laced with concern. "You okay?"

"Kid?" Dark Pit asked. Still, no response from Loki. "Dammit." Bayonetta cursed. She grabbed the boy by his shoulders and began shaking him. "Wake up!" she demanded. "Enough jokes! **_WAKE UP!_** " A small chuckle escaped Loki that grew into a burst of laughter. The young boy held his sides in pain as he laughed at his little practical joke. The other three shot Loki annoyed looks. "Dick move, man." Dark Pit said.

"Real mature, Loki." Pit said. Bayonetta walked towards the stone Loki was on and kicked it and Loki high into the air. Loki, still laughing, landed safely on the ground while the stone landed behind him. "Come now, guys!" Loki said. "You can't let kid's jokes make you _that_ mad!"

"And what about _you?_ " Bayonetta asked. "Do you really think it's safe to _play_ dead with someone who can _make you dead?_ "

"Men like to gamble, love." Loki replied as he got to his feet."

"Risking everything for nothing." Bayonetta scoffed. "Seems about right. I know another little boy just like that."

"Sounds like my kinda guy." Loki said. "Maybe a bit of a pervert, though." The two looked at each other and laughed. "Guys, I hate to interrupt this little bonding session," Dark Pit interjected, "But we're on a bit of a schedule here!" At that moment, Loki felt another sharp headache. "He's right." Loki said. "Let's go. We're almost at the Cathedral."

"How do we get in?" Pit asked.

"There's an underwater passage below the Cathedral." Loki said. "It'll lead us to the device that can build the Bridge to the Heavens."

"Well, fancy another dip, boys?" Bayonetta asked. She leapt into the air and activated her Snake Within and dived into the water. Loki transformed into a ball of light and followed her into the water. "So much for not swimming again." Dark Pit said as he and Pit dived into the water after Bayonetta. The four of them swam into the underwater tunnel. When they reached a pile of rubble blocking the way, Pit used his Taurus Arm to smash though it, allowing the group to continue onwards until they reached what appeared to be an underground graveyard of sorts.

They walked to the center of the room to find a strange diamond-shaped object lying on the ground. "Here we are." Loki said.

" _This_ is the device?" Dark Pit asked, slightly skeptical.

"Not yet, mate. Hold on." Loki focused his control over the Remembrance of Time and used it to build the device. It resembled the same diamond-shaped symbol that appeared all over Noatun. "Okay, we got it back up and running." Pit said. "How do we use it?"

Loki turned to Bayonetta. "You just gotta get on and turn it. Pretend you're a pole dancer at a strip club."

"Aren't you a little young to know about strip clubs?" Bayonetta chuckled.

"I told you: I'm not a child." Loki replied.

"You actually went to one?" Pit asked.

"What?! NO!" Loki protested with a blush. That got a laugh out Bayonetta and Dark Pit. Bayonetta leapt onto the device and began turning it. As she did, a translucent blue aura enveloped the room as the ground began to shake. "What's happening?!" Pit asked. "An earthquake?!"

"No, mate!" Loki replied. "It's building the bridge!" Outside, the blue aura had enveloped the entire cathedral and the surrounding area. Pieces of debris suddenly rose and started putting themselves together, forming a large bridge that led to the peak of Mt. Fimbulventr. Eventually the aura and the device disappeared. "Okay, the bridge is up." Loki said. "All we need to do is get to the top of the Cathedral. From there, we just follow the bridge up to Fimbulventr."

"Finally, we'll be going home!" Dark Pit cheered.

"Not yet." Pit said. "Remember? We said we'd help Bayonetta first."

"Oh yeah. Forgot about that." Dark Pit grumbled. Bayonetta, meanwhile, drew her guns as she sensed something approaching. "What's wrong, love?" Loki asked.

'We've got company." Bayonetta replied. At that moment, a portal to Inferno appeared and out from it dropped a blue coffin. The coffin then transformed into a tank-like machine that ran on spiked wheels and had wheels for arms. This was Pain, the Driver of Agony. An Infernal Demon.

"An infernal?" Bayonetta asked.

"They don't look like your kind of normal attention." Loki said. "A friend, love?"

"Yeah, I thought the demons were on _your_ side?" Pit asked.

"I think my friends and I might have had a falling out." Bayonetta replied. " _First Gomorrah, now this? Why would infernals be after me?_ " That's when she thought back to Rodin's words. " _Something's up. The balance of powers that keep things in check don't feel right, don't it?_ " Bayonetta walked forward and summoned one of Madama Butterfly's fists. "Good to know some of you are keeping your part of the contract." she said as she and Madama Butterfly fist bumped each other. The twin angels drew their bows while Loki summoned his cards.

"Let's do this!" Bayonetta shouted. Pain made the first move and charged at the group. They moved out of the way and Bayonetta opened fire on Pain with her guns. Pain whirled around and tried to take a swing at Bayonetta, but the Umbra Witch grabbed it by the wheel and tossed it into the air. Pit pulled out his Capricorn Club and leapt into the air before smashing the club down on the Infernal Demon and sending it crashing to the ground.

As Pain struggled to get up, Dark Pit took out his Black Club and fired a large metal ball at Pain, sending it flying back into a wall. Pain righted itself and turned both its arms into gatling guns and fired red spikes at the group. The group avoided its shots and Loki threw a card at its face, blinding it and causing it to shoot wildly. Some of its shots hit the ceiling, causing debris to fall on it.

As it tried to recover, Bayonetta used her Heel Stomp to pin it to the ground. "Time to end this. SUNDENNA!" Bayonetta used her Infernal Climax to summon Diomedes. The demonic horse tossed Pain into the air and used its bladed horn to slice the infernal machine into tiny pieces. With Pain gone, the hole in the ceiling opened up, causing water to pour in and fill the room. As the room flooded, the four of them swam upward and through the hole, arriving in the Grand Hall.

"This is it!" Loki exclaimed as started to walk up the stairs. "The Bridge to the Heavens should be right above us."

"Are you sure?" Dark Pit asked.

Loki gave a mirthless chuckle. "Not really."

"Not really, huh?" Bayonetta asked. "But you're right. This is it."

"How can you tell?" Pit asked.

"Call it a woman's intuition." Bayonetta shrugged.

"Women's intuition. What kind of silly comic book shit is that?" Loki asked. "You lot still don't know a thing about me."

"Let's just say that I have plenty of experience with 'nothing coming to mind'." Bayonetta replied.

"What?" Loki asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow. Pit and Dark Pit also pricked their ears.

"I spent 500 years not knowing who I was." Bayonetta said. "I only found out the truth recently."

"You lived _that_ long?" Dark Pit asked.

"Well, I spent most of that time asleep in a coffin in a lake." Bayonetta replied. "Long story. Rather not talk about it."

"Y-You too?" Loki asked. "Listen, I don't remember a thing. Nothing. I don't even know why I'm so damn sure I need to go to that mountain. But I know I have to. It's all I know. Does that make any sense?"

"Come now, little one." Bayonetta teased. "Can't let the girls know you've got a heart."

"I-It's not like that!" Loki protested.

"If that's all you know, then that's all the sense you need." Bayonetta said. "Just believe. That's what I did."

"Bayonetta..." Loki replied, touched by her wise words and unsure of what to say.

"You know, you can be really nice when you try." Pit said.

"Don't try to sweet talk me, kid." Bayonetta replied. "Anyway, let's go." The four of them reached the top of the grand hall. There, they saw a large metal orb in the center of the room, half submerged in water. Loki hesitantly approached the orb. There was something vaguely familiar about it, but he didn't know what. "I think... I remember this." He outstretched his hand toward the orb as blue flames started to envelope his hand. He was then pulled into the orb.

Loki then used his powers and the orb slowly rose from the water. "Whoa! Awesome!" Pit said. Loki was concentrating his powers on the orb when he sensed something near one of the stained-glass windows. He tossed a card in the direction of the presence and out from behind one of the pillars stepped Luka. "Y-You again?!" Loki asked.

"Hey Luka!" Pit cheerfully greeted.

"Oh hey. Mouthy brat kid. And angel kid." Luka replied.

"So, I see you're acquainted." Bayonetta said.

"How did you get here?!" Loki demanded.

"I'm the great L-U-K-A, Luka." Luka proudly replied. "I didn't go through all these ridiculous ordeals just to _randomly_ show up in opportune places, you know?"

"See? Risking everything for nothing. Told you I know someone just like that." Bayonetta said. "So, what are you after this time?"

"Oh, _loads_ of stuff." Luka replied. "For instance..." He pulled out his journal. "...I found this _great_ place for seafood. They do an _amazing_ sardine meuniere."

"Really?! Can you tell me where it is sometime?" Pit asked. "... And what's sardine meuniere?" Dark Pit facepalmed with an annoyed sigh, Bayonetta chuckled, and Luka kept going. "But more importantly, I'm investigating an old Noatun story known as _The Legend of Aesir_."

"The Legend of Aesir?" Loki repeated. He was then beset by yet another headache. Bayonetta rolled her eyes. "And this fairy tale is...?"

"Actually, this may have something to do with _you_ , Bayonetta." Luka said.

"You don't say." came the Umbra Witch's sarcastic reply.

Luka cleared his throat and began reading from his journal. "The Legend of Aesir... A legend from the dawn of time...

Nobody knows where the world came from. A struggle caused the Trinity of Realities to be split into three realms: light, darkness, and chaos. Obviously, our world was the one born from chaos. The three worlds all needed rulers. Most of all, ours. And the one that ruled the chaos became known as Aesir. Aesir spent the first eternity quietly looking upon the Earth from his holy mountain. Where we only see reality and make it match our rules of the world, Aesir saw _through_ reality, and those visions _became_ our world. These observations became Aesir's power. Aesir's eyes were truly the eyes that created the world.

However, Aesir pitied the humans for their naivety and lack of free will, so the power he wielded was split into two equal halves and entrusted each to humanity's instincts: the Right Eye of Light, and the Left Eye of Darkness. By dividing the power of the eyes of Aesir, humans gained free will... They could now choose. With control of the Eyes of the World, the eyes that determine destiny, humans could choose their own paths. They awoke to their own identities. Man is but a reed, the most feeble thing in nature, but now we were thinking reeds, and we could our big first step towards grand prosperity. The inheritors of the eyes of Aesir had been granted the power of creation."

"The Eyes..." Bayonetta trailed off.

"That's right. 'The Eyes of the World'." Luka replied. "Controlled by a Lumen Sage and Umbra Witch."

"The Eyes... of the World?" Loki asked.

"However the influence of the Right Eye, the one controlled by the sages, left this world forever with the death of the final sage." That drew a sharp gasp from Bayonetta as she immediately thought back to her battle with Father Balder. Luka jumped down from the ledge. "Do the natural disasters that are occurring right now have something to do with the loss of the Right Eye? And what will happen to our planet? _Those_ are the truths I'm after. And the truth will always be the truth. So if the truth is here, then so am I. And I think the key to that truth is that mountain. Fimbulventr."

"How _do_ you find these things?" Bayonetta asked.

"I've done my homework." Luka smugly replied. "Would you expect anything less from... The marvelous, magnificent, magnanimous Lu- _KA!_ " In the middle of all his dramatic posing. Bayonetta gave him a swift kick in the pants, sending him flying into the lower part of the Grand Hall. "And I take back my earlier comment. You're a jerk." Pit said.

"What did you do that for?" Dark Pit said.

"To keep him out of danger." Bayonetta said. "We've got visitors." The three turned to see a horde of Acceptances flying towards them. "Bayonetta, guys, get on!" Loki shouted. Bayonetta and the twin angels leapt on to the orb as it slowly began to rise. "So this thing can take us to the Bridge to the Heavens?" Dark Pit asked.

"Pretty much. May take a couple of minutes." Loki replied.

"At least we have a way to pass the time." Bayonetta said as she drew her guns. "Elevator rides are _so_ boring." The Acceptances drew their harp bows and fired at the group. Pit used his Guardian Orbitars to defend against the arrows while Dark Pit opened fire with his titular staff, killing each of them in a single shot. A few of the angels got on the orb and began stabbing at it. Bayonetta pulled out her Shuraba katana and dashed past them while performing an iaijutsu slash, slicing them into pieces.

An Enrapture appeared behind Bayonetta and readied its staff to drain her magic, but Pit pulled out his Leo Cannon and fired a shot at the Enrapture, killing it on the spot. "Nice shot, little one!" Bayonetta said.

"Thanks!" Pit replied. More Acceptances flew towards the orb, armed with their spears. Dark Pit flew towards them and pulled out his Gaol Blade and began cutting them down. As the fight raged on, the orb continued to rise through the cathedral. Just as it reached the last door, an Urbane appeared and fired its maces at the door, sealing it shut. "Shit! We're not going to make it!" Loki shouted. He turned into his flying squirrel form and flew out the nearby window. Without Loki powering it, the orb ground to a halt.

"Hey, wait!" Dark Pit shouted as he flew after him. Bayonetta and Pit jumped onto a nearby ledge as they attempted to go after them, but their path was obstructed by the Urbane. Meanwhile, as Loki and Dark Pit landed outside on the Cathedral's walkways, they were attacked by a Gravitas, a Second Sphere Dominion. It was the icy counterpart to the fiery Urbane.

"Of all the fucking luck." Loki complained. "We don't have time for this!" The Gravitas raised one of its icy maces in an attempt to smash Loki, but Dark Pit jumped in and used his Guardian Orbitars to defend against its mace attacks. "I'll hold it off!" Dark Pit said. "You get to the bridge! GO!" Loki hesitated, wanting to help Dark Pit, but quickly ran up the walkway. The Gravitas continued to pound away at Dark Pit's barriers until it eventually shattered them.

The Gravitas tried to smash Dark Pit with his mace, but Dark Pit tossed several grenades at its face, blinding it. Taking advantage of this, Dark Pit pulled out hid Doom Cannon and fired a charged shot at it, the explosion sending it falling off the walkway. Dark Pit then flew to the top of the Cathedral just as Loki made it up the walkway. The floor of the tower was badly damaged by the Urbane. "If I could just do something about that." Loki used his ability to control the Remembrance of Time and restored the floor to its original state.

The two watched as the floor opened up, but they were soon attacked by the same Gravitas from before. The Gravitas raised its mace to finish the two of them off, but the floor quickly opened as Madama Butterfly emerged from it. Bayonetta and Pit then appeared with the Urbane in tow. She then threw the Urbane at its icy counterpart. "Hey, I had him, you know." Dark Pit complained.

"Right, you were just luring him into a false sense of security." Pit teased.

"Less talking, more ass-kicking!" Bayonetta shouted as the Urbane and Gravitas rose to their feet. "Split them up!" Pit ordered as he and Bayonetta faced off against the Urbane. The angel lowered its head and fired its heat beam at the duo. Bayonetta and Pit jumped out of the way and Bayonetta used the ice mode of her Undine flamethrowers to fire blasts of cold air at the angel. Pit saw what she was doing and used his Aquarius Blade to fire shards of ice at the Urbane. Eventually the combined assault froze the angel solid. Bayonetta took out her Takemikazuchi hammer and smashed the angel to pieces.

Dark Pit and Loki were having a bit more trouble battling the Gravitas. Loki tossed card after card at it while Dark Pit fired a stream of arrows at it. The combined assault seemed to be overwhelming it, but The Gravitas fired one of its maces at Dark Pit knocking him back. "Pittoo!" Loki shouted as the Gravitas lunged at Loki, who outstretched his hand in a feeble means of defense.

"GET AWAY!" he shouted. That's when something extraordinary happened. Blue flames gathered around his hand, and suddenly a giant, ethereal blue hand appeared and stretched itself, pushing the Gravitas off of the Cathedral and into the waters below. "The hell?!" Loki exclaimed.

"Little One?!" Bayonetta asked, utterly astonished.

"How'd you do that?!" both Pit and Dark Pit asked in unison, unknowingly tapping into their "super secret twin connection".

"I... don't have a fucking clue." Loki tentatively replied.

"You're becoming more mysterious by the day, Little One." Bayonetta teased.

"It's all part of the charm, love." Loki teased back. The four of them stared at each other for a moment before breaking into laughter. The happy moment was cut short when Loki came down with yet another headache. At which point, another vision appeared. It was the same boy who looked like Loki. He outstretched his hand and fired an energy blast at Loki that nearly sent him flying off the tower. Thankfully, Bayonetta caught him just in time.

"Right. Let's go." Loki said.

"Let's." Bayonetta replied. The four of them began to walk towards the Bridge. "So, I have a question." Pit started to say.

"No, we're not getting anything to eat." Bayonetta replied.

"Not that." Pit said. "What was Luka talking about earlier? The Eyes of the World?"

Bayonetta sighed. "The Eyes of the World are a special power." she began. "They are the sacred treasures of both the Umbra Witches and the Lumen Sages. They give humans the ability to create and oversee history as they see fit. However, when brought together, they give one the power to reshape the universe as they see fit, basically making one a god. Her left eye began glowing red. "I possess the Left Eye of Darkness."

"Whoa. Lemme guess. A lot of bad guys wanted them, huh?" Dark Pit asked.

"Quite." Bayonetta replied. "Months ago, a madman, a Lumen Sage named Balder conspired with the Angels of Paradiso to use the Eyes of the World to resurrect the goddess Jubileus the Creator and unite the Trinity of Realities into one realm. He had the Right Eye of Light, but he needed my Left Eye of Darkness to complete his plan. It would've meant the end of creation itself."

"So, you stopped him?" Pit asked.

"Yes. I killed him." Bayonetta said. "But not before finding out that he was... my father." That got the three boys to stop and look at her. Pity and sorrow easily read on their faces. "Oh..." Pit said. "I'm... sorry to hear that."

"Quite alright." Bayonetta replied. "What's done is done." Pit's face then lit up with realization. "So that guy we fought earlier. Was he a Lumen Sage too?"

"Yes, he was." Bayonetta replied. "Which is rather confusing given that Balder was supposed to be the last of the Lumen Sages."

"Well,.Jeanne's an Umbra Witch like you." Pit began. "Who's to say there aren't other Lumen Sages that are still alive."

"I suppose that's true." Bayonetta said.

"Well, something tells me we haven't seen the last of him." Dark Pit said.

"How do you know?" Loki said.

"Hello, it's rival 101." Dark Pit said. "The rival always comes back for a rematch."

"Well, it doesn't matter." Bayonetta replied. "We're almost at Fimbulventr, so let's focus on that."

"Right!" The three boys said in unison as the group made their way up the bridge.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: The Bridge to the Heavens. Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ At long last, the group had finally reached the Bridge of the Heavens and were almost at Fimbulventr, but the hand of fate intervenes once again when an angel named Valor destroys the bridge and attacks the group. Can the four of them defeat Valor and make it to Fimbulventr? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Bayonetta 2_**


	11. Ch 6: The Bridge to the Heavens

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! Despite repeated setbacks, our heroes managed to reach the Cathedral of Cascades and rebuild the Bridge to the Heavens. After reuniting with Luka and learning of the Legend of Aesir, the group managed to reach the top of the Cathedral and the Bridge. Now it seems like our heroes have finally reached the mountain... Or have they?**

Everything seemed to be looking up for the gang. After several setbacks and delays, they managed to reach the Cathedral of Cascades and the Bridge to the Heavens. Now all they needed to do was use the bridge to reach the top of Fimbulventr. Of course, the bridge itself was quite long. At the most, it would take several hours for them to reach Fimbulventr. The news didn't sit well with Bayonetta. They had wasted enough time as it is. Who knows how much time they had left to save Jeanne.

As they ran along the bridge, Pit was the first to say something. "You know, it's strange that we haven't run into any enemies." he said. "I got a bad feeling about this."

"Dude, don't jinx it!" Dark Pit said.

"What? I'm just pointing something out." Pit protested.

"Keep your mouth shut, man!" Dark Pit snapped. "The quicker we get to Fimbulventr, the sooner we get home!" Unfortunately for Dark Pit, his light counterpart's premonition came to fruition. The group stopped dead in their tracks as they watched something slice through the bridge like a hot knife through butter. What emerged in front of them was a knightly figure clad in golden armor with a cape attached to the shoulders. Its face was embedded in the sun-shaped shield it carried in its left hand. In its right hand it held a golden sword with a face on it much like Valiance did. This was Valor, a First Sphere Cherubim.

Dark Pit turned to Pit with an extremely annoyed expression. "You just _HAD_ to jinx it, didn't you?"

"Sorry." Came Pit's sheepish reply.

"Sovereign One, you shall not be allowed to reach Fimbulventr!" Valor declared. The angel raised its sword skyward and the blade began to grow in length. It then slammed the blade down on the bridge, destroying it and sending the group falling through a tower. The twin angels activated their Pegasus Wings while Bayonetta summoned the Wings of Maphas as they engaged Valor in battle. "New model, huh?" Bayonetta asked. "Hope this one lasts a bit longer."

"Hmph, Umbra Witch." Valor scoffed. "Do not think that you humans will be able to control the powers of darkness forever! And do that think that you will not receive your diviner punishment for the death of my brother Valiance! And as for you traitorous angels who would side with the slayer of Jubileus, I shall consign you all to oblivion!"

"Saying all that's just going to make me take him there." Bayonetta replied. " _After_ I've taken care of my business, of course."

"Do your worst!" Pit shouted. "If protecting humanity from villains like you is treason, then I'm gladly guilty!"

"Whatever, let's just kick this guy's butt already!" Dark Pit said. The three of them opened fire on Valor with their weapons. Valor blocked the shots with his shield, then tossed his shield at the trio. They dodged the shield and Bayonetta retaliated with a Wicked Weave punch. Without his shield, Valor had no means of defending himself and was sent flying by the punch. Bayonetta pulled out her Lt. Col Kilgore tonfas and fired twin rockets at Valor. Valor grabbed his shield and flew outside the tower.

The three frantically looked around, but suddenly, Valor pierced the tower with his blade, pushing Bayonetta outside. Bayonetta struggled a bit, but eventually pushed the sword back with a powerful kick. Valor entered the tower, riding his shield like a flying surfboard, charging at the trio. They all moved out of the way and continued firing on Valor. Valor elongated his sword and attempted to stab the trio, but Pit moved out of the way and flew towards the face on the sword's crossguard and punched it with his Taurus Arm.

The blow sent Valor reeling into the wall of the tower, the impact causing water to gush in. Valor began tossing bombs everywhere. The explosions caused more water to rush into the tower. Eventually, the four combatants found themselves in an underwater chamber of sorts. Valor charged at the heroes with a spinning dash, his sword pointed at them. They dodged out of the way only for Valor to quickly turn and swing his sword once more, slicing the very water asunder.

They dodged the sword swing once again and Bayonetta retaliated with several Wicked Punches, each blow shattering pieces of Valor's armor. For the finisher, Bayonetta materialized Madama Butterfly, who attacked the angel with a punishing headbutt. Pit and Dark Pit each threw several Boom Spears at Valor, the explosion dealing heavy damage to him. Before Valor could recover, Bayonetta attacked with a Heel Stomp.

Valor rose up and tried to do another spinning dash, only for something to grab at his legs. He looked down to see Loki using his new ethereal arms. Before Valor could react, Loki spun Valor around and threw him to Dark Pit. "Here mate! Catch!" he shouted. Dark Pit grabbed his Black Club and swung at Valor, sending him flying towards Pit. "Pit, you're up!"

Pit swung his Capricorn Club and sent Valor flying towards Bayonetta. "Bayonetta! Finish him off!" Bayonetta used a Wicked Uppercut and sent Valor flying into the air. "Now for the climax! CANILU!" Bayonetta's clothes dissolved into a spiral of hair as she summoned another Infernal Demon. This demon resembled a gorgon's severed head. It's main features were obscured by a red, crescent-adorned veil, hinting at its human origins. Protruding from the back of its head was a long, thick snake tail. Kept together in a scaly, ornamented headband were seven other slithering heads. Each head had gold plating and red blades on their snouts, each possessed sharp teeth, a skinny blue tongue and an eye inside the mouth. This was Hydra, the Spinner of Destiny.

On command, Hydra coiled its serpentine body around Valor and began squeezing tightly. "I don't think you'll be able to get a new one of those." Bayonetta teased. Valor merely chuckled in response. "My demise will not alter fate." the angel replied as he slowly raised his sword. "A tribute to you, witch!" With the last of his strength, Valor made a downward swing that tore a hole in the chamber, sucking Bayonetta and the gang through. " _OH, BLOODY HELL!_ " Bayonetta screamed.

Believing that he accomplished his mission, Valor let out one last bout of triumphant laughter as he was dragged through Inferno.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: The Ark. Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ After the battle with Valor, our heroes find themselves back to square one, much to their great frustration. Just when all hope seemed lost, Loki finds a mysterious vessel they can use to traverse the underwater caverns to reach Inferno. But in the latest run of bad luck, they are swallowed alive by a massive Infernal Demon. And things take an even darker turn for the worse when the Masked Lumen makes another attempt on Loki's life. Can our heroes survive this ordeal and reach the Gates of Hell? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**


	12. Ch 7: The Ark Pt 1

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on** ** _Bayonetta 2!_** **Bayonetta and the group had finally made it to the Bridge to the Heavens and were on their way to the top of Fimbulventr, but their path was impeded yet again when they were attacked by an Angel of Paradiso named Valor. They managed to defeat Valor, but have now ended up back where they started. With the Bridge to the Heavens destroyed, our heroes must regroup and find another way to Inferno.**

In his throne room in Fimbulventr, the Prophet watched the battle with Valor though an orb of energy. His countenance was one of great disappointment. This was the latest in a series of setbacks and failures. Ugh, these angels were truly incompetent! As he watched Valor be dragged into Inferno, he let out an exasperated sigh. This was bad comedy. "Another failure." he said. "These pawns can no longer serve my purposes."

The Prophet rose from his throne and walked towards the orb. "Power must be held in my own hands to truly be attained. Plus, it's nice to get out of the mountain once in a while." Closing his eyes, he focused his powers and projected his spirit outside the entrance to the Cathedral. He took one look at the Cathedral before teleporting away. Unbeknownst to the Prophet, Luka was in the area and witnessed the Prophet disappear.

"What the hell was _that?_ " he asked, bewildered.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, at the Gates of Hell...**_

Rodin had just put the finishing touches on his latest creation. A new weapon. But, it still required one last ingredient: The soul of a powerful demon. As he marveled at his latest work of art, the glow from the casket where Jeanne's body lie caught his attention. He knew what that meant. Jeanne's soul was being absorbed into Inferno.

"Time's almost up." Rodin said. "Bayonetta, you better start creating miracles."

* * *

 _ **Later...**_

After the battle with Valor, Bayonetta and the group fell through a gap in the floor created by Valor and ended up in another room. Bayonetta performed a perfect three-point landing while Pit and Dark Pit awkwardly landed behind her. Loki, however, fell onto the wet floor. "Shit!" Loki cursed. "Why am _I_ the only one stuck in the drink?!" Loki looked around the room. The setting was unfamiliar to him. "Where are we?"

"Further from the mountain than we started, that's for sure." came Bayonetta's annoyed reply.

"So, anyone got any bright ideas?" Dark Pit asked. "In case no one's keeping time, we're kinda running out here!"

"There's gotta be another way into Inferno!" Pit said.

"I'm thinking. I'm thinking!" Bayonetta said, exasperated. Loki, meanwhile, continued to look around the room in silence. As he examined his surroundings, a tinge of familiarity began to emerge. "I think... I've been here before." he said. The blue diamond mark on his forehead began glowing as he was beset by another headache. At that moment, another vision appeared before his eyes.

It was the same boy from before, the boy who looked like him. The boy walked towards Loki. "At last, you stand before me without escape." he said. "This is not your world and you should not be in it! What's was once one, must be one once again. You must be turned to nothing!" The boy outstretched his hand and fired a blast of energy at Loki, knocking him on his rear. Loki threw his cards at the vision and it disappeared.

"Little One!" Bayonetta shouted. "Are you alright?!"

"Yeah. I'm fine, love." Loki replied as he got to his feet. "Now I'm _sure_ I've seen this place before. If you guys are still trying to go to hell, I might know the shortcut."

"Oh?" Bayonetta asked. "And what is this shortcut?" Loki pointed at his feet. "This thing we're standing on is called 'The Ark'. It's kinda like a magical submarine. This thing was built by the god Aesir to carry his chosen people to a place called the Ruins of Lost Memory, a city that sleeps under Lake Noatun. This can help us get to it. And there, we'll find the real Gates of Hell."

"And you know this, _how?_ " Dark Pit asked.

"Because I'm remembering... What I really am." Loki replied.

"And what are you?" Pit asked.

"I don't really know." Loki replied. "Remember when Luka told us about The Legend of Aesir? I'm not quite sure, but I think that legend has something to do with me. I can't quite put my finger on it, though."

"We can worry about that later." Bayonetta said. "Right now, we need to get to Inferno."

"Right." Loki replied. "Stand back, guys." Bayonetta and the twin angels stepped back to give Loki some space as he focused his powers. Loki then suddenly sank into the Ark. The ethereal vessel began to glow as the floor began to open up to reveal a deep pool of water. The Ark slowly descended underwater.

"Whoa! This is awesome!" Pit exclaimed.

"Sure beats the hell outta walking!" Dark Pit said.

"At this rate, we should reach the Ruins of Lost Memory in no time!" Loki said from within the Ark. "Fasten your seatbelts, mates! It's gonna be a bumpy ride!" With that, the Ark sped through the underwater caverns. Pit and Dark Pit looked around in awe at all the undersea life around them. Bayonetta, meanwhile, stood with her arms folded, unfazed by all the fish swimming around her. She looked almost like a statue. That's because she sensed that there was something coming for them.

And that premonition quickly came true as she saw something coming right at the Ark. It dived under it and emerged behind them. The creature appeared to be an enormous manta ray-like monster. It had a metallic skull-like face on its chest with glowing red eyes. It's wings were black with purple highlights and it had fourteen green eyes on each wing. Thirteen small eyes and two giant eyes. This was Insidious, the Consumer of All.

"What the heck is _that?!_ " Pit exclaimed.

"It ain't Moby Dick, that's for sure!" Dark Pit replied.

"Another Infernal?" Bayonetta asked as she drew her guns. "Well, you were right about the shortcut. But it looks like they've sent a welcoming party."

"Loki, tell me this thing has some weapons: Guns, Cannons, Missiles, _anything!_ " Dark Pit pleaded.

"Well, it's got a laser..." Loki said. "But it takes a while to charge, and you need to get that thing in front of it. But that won't matter if this punter smashes the Ark to pieces!"

"Well, we'll just have to do this the old fashioned way!" Bayonetta said. "Come on!" Bayonetta summoned Maphas' wings as the twin angels activated their Pegasus Wings and took to the air. Insidious swam alongside the Ark opened the giant eye on its left wing and fired a massive laser beam. The trio dodged the beam, but it hit the Ark dead on, shaving off pieces of it.

"If we don't get rid of this thing, we're gonna have to swim to the Ruins of Lost Memory!" Dark Pit said.

"Aim for the eye!" Pit said.

"How do you know?!" Bayonetta asked.

"Rule Number One of Monster Slaying." Pit replied. "When in doubt, always go for the eye!" Pit and Dark Pit pulled out their bows and fired arrows at Insidious' massive eye, but the eye summoned tentacles to block the arrows before lashing out at the trio with them. They dodged the tentacles and sliced at them with their blades, causing purple blood to spew out of them. Insidious roared in pain.

"Tentacles." Bayonetta said. " _Why_ did have to be tentacles?!" Insidious swirled its tentacles around its eye before pushing them outward, the force of the push sending the trio back. They shook it off and charged at the eye once more. The eye began firing lasers from its tentacles in an attempt to keep them away. The trio dodged the array of lasers and Bayonetta charged straight at its eye to deliver a Wicked Punch.

Insidious fired another laser from its eye, but Bayonetta used her Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa bracelet to form a protective barrier in front of her. That's when she got an idea, she used her barrier to redirect the laser and slice off all of its tentacles. Insidious screeched in pain and attempted to close its eye.

"Oh no you don't!" Bayonetta summoned her Wicked Weaves and began to pry the eyelid open, forcing the eye out of its socket. Pit pulled out his Taurus Arm and punched Insidious' eye with enough force that it cracked the eye. Insidious roared and tried to swat at the trio with its wing before swimming above the Ark. It then opened its mouth, which glowed with an eerie purple light, and rained down a multitude of torpedoes at the trio.

Bayonetta used her Witch Time to stop the torpedoes, then grabbed them and threw them back at Insidious. The combined, repeated explosions dazed the demon, but it quickly recovered and swam to the left of the Ark and rammed it, smashing it against the rock wall. It then swam back as its skull face began to open, creating a vacuum that nearly sucked the trio into its gaping maw.

But just as its mouth was about to close, Bayonetta used Madama Butterfly's hands to keep it open, allowing the trio to swim out of it. Bayonetta then delivered a hard Wicked Punch to Insidious' face, knocking the left eye clean out of its socket. Its left eye was now red, armed with six tentacles and hanging loosely from its socket. The eye lashed out with its tentacles, firing lasers and using them as whips.

The trio dodged the laser whips and Bayonetta opened fire on the eye with her guns. The eye fired several orbs of dark energy from its pupil, but Pit used his Guardian Orbitars to create a barrier to block the orbs while Dark Pit fired several shots from his Doom Cannon. The eye lashed out with its tentacles again, but Pit and Dark Pit used their blades and sliced away at each tentacle. With all of its tentacles gone, the eye opened its mouth, revealing a set of razor-sharp blood-red fangs as it tried to bite them.

Bayonetta summoned Madama Butterfly's fist and delivered another Wicked Punch. Insidious' eye attempted to retreat into its socket, but Bayonetta used Madama Butterfly's hands to rip the eye out of the socket completely. The demonic manta ray used its right ear and fired a powerful beam of dark energy. Loki emerged from the Ark and focused his powers. "Here goes!" Loki placed his hands on the Ark, which began to glow with a brilliant blue light as it fired a powerful blue energy beam of its own.

The two beams collided with each other and seemed evenly matched at first, but the Ark's laser managed to overpower Insidious' and pushed it back, destroying Insidious' other eye completely. The dying beast slowly sank into the depths of the water. "Now that was bloody awesome, mate!" Loki said.

"We sure sent him to Davy Jones' Locker!" Pit cheered.

"Quite an epic fish tale if I do say so myself." Bayonetta mused.

"Great, now let's get to the Ruins of Lost Memory." Dark Pit said. Unfortunately, the celebration was soon cut short as a second Insidious appeared. The group barely had time to react as the Infernal Demon opened its maw and devoured them all, along with the Ark. Satisfied with its meal, the beast happily swam away.

 _ **To Be Continued...**_

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: The Ark Pt. 2. Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ After defeating the Infernal Demon Insidious, our heroes now find themselves trapped within the bowels of another Insidious. And things only take a turn for the worst when the Masked Lumen makes another attempt on Lori's life. Can the heroes defeat the Lumen Sage and escape the demon's foul insides? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**


	13. Ch 7: The Ark Pt 2

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on _Bayonetta 2!_ With the Bridge to the Heavens destroyed, all hope of reach the sacred mountain of Fimbulventr and the Gates of Hell seemed lost. However, Loki discovered a mysterious vessel used by the god Aesir to travel to the underwater city known as the Ruins of Lost Memory where the Gates of Hell were said to reside. While traversing through the underwater caverns, the heroes were attacked by the Infernal Demon known as Insidious. They managed to defeat the demon, but the victory was short-lived as the team was quickly devoured by another Insidious. Now our heroes awake to find themselves quite literally in the belly of the beast.**

A groan escaped Pit as consciousness gradually returned to him. As he slowly opened his eyes, he found himself quite literally face-to-face with Bayonetta. Their faces were so close to each other that they were practically kissing. Bayonetta, for her part, just stared and smiled at the angel. "Nice to see you're awake, Little One." she said. "Had a nice nap? I must say, you've found some very comfy pillows."

"Pillows...?" Pit repeated, confused and still somewhat groggy. That's when he looked down and came to a startling realization: He had been unconscious with his face buried in Bayonetta's cleavage, and his hands were now on her breasts. Pit screamed and leapt to the ceiling, his face completely red with shock. "S-Sorry!" Pit sputtered out. "I-I didn't mean to! I-I-It was an accident, really!"

Bayonetta chuckled and rose to her feet, dusting herself off. "Calm down, boy." Bayonetta replied. "Besides, you're probably the first angel to get a chance to touch these. You should feel honored. Just don't tell Luka. He tends to get awfully jealous." Pit landed on the ground, still embarrassed. At that moment, Dark Pit regained consciousness as well. "Man, anyone got the license plate on that truck that hit us?" he asked as he looked around. "Where the hell are we?"

"From the look of it, I'd say we've been swallowed alive by Insidious." Bayonetta replied.

"Swallowed... _ALIVE?!_ " Pit shouted, his face turning pale. "Oh no, not again..."

"What's wrong?" Bayonetta asked.

"I've been swallowed alive before." Pit replied. "It's bringing back some very bad memories." Bayonetta looked around a bit, then realized something. "Where's Loki?" she asked.

"I don't know." Pit replied. "He wasn't here when we woke up."

"Well I hope he's not _here_." Dark Pit said as he looked over the wreckage of what was once the Ark. Bayonetta and Pit walked towards the wreckage. "I can't sense Loki's energy from the Ark." Bayonetta said.

"You don't think he's..." Pit started to say.

"No." Bayonetta sharply cut him off. "I can't sense his energy from the Ark, but I can still sense his energy. It's faint, but its coming from deep within Insidious' bowels."

"So we're gonna have to go deeper in." Dark Pit groaned. "Great."

"Well, the sooner we find Loki, the sooner we get out of here." Pit said. "And let's hurry. It smells worse than the locker room at the coliseum. With that, the three of them walked down the corridor. All around them were nothing but pink flesh. The air was fetid, the stink of rotting flesh surrounded them. Eventually, they made their way to a small room, but before they could proceed further, a portal to Inferno materialized before them.

Out of the portal emerged three creatures. They were purple, skinny beings with wings on their arms. They had no eyes and instead had blades on the sides of their heads that curved to form a crescent shape. Likewise, their tails also ended in crescent-shaped blades. The one in the middle was larger than the others and wore strange crescent-shaped blades on its back that formed a makeshift cape of sorts. They each wielded strange weapons. One held twin chainsaw swords in each hand, the other had a demonic shotgun, and the large one held a double-ended scythe.

"More Infernal Demons?" Pit asked.

"Yes, Hatred and his friends Hideous." Bayonetta replied.

"Nice names." Dark Pit said sarcastically. "They really scream evil." The Hatred let out a fierce war cry as it tossed its double-ended scythe at the trio. They dodged the weapon and Bayonetta summoned Shuraba as she leapt at the Hatred. The demon caught its scythe just in time to block her katana. The demon spun its scythe like a buzzsaw and attempted to slice Bayonetta, but she used her Bat Within to avoid it, materializing behind the Hatred. Before the demon could react, Bayonetta sliced it in two. A fountain of blood erupted from its lower half as it fell to the ground and faded into nothingness.

Meanwhile, Pit engaged one of the Hideous. The demon wildly swung its twin blades at Pit, who being the superior swordsman, blocked every one. Pit managed to knock the swords out of its hands, before stabbing the Hideous with the twin blades of his Palutena Bow. Dark Pit battled the other Hideous, dodging the blasts from its shotgun with incredible ease. When he got close enough, he leapt into the air and decapitated it with his Gaol Blade. The demon faded into nothingness, leaving only its shotgun behind.

Dark Pit picked up the shotgun the Hideous left behind and inspected it for a moment. He pointed it at the wall and pulled the trigger, the recoil sending him flying back into the ground. "Got a lot of kick." he said as he got to his feet and strapped the shotgun to his back. "New souvenir."

"Well that was a bracing workout." Bayonetta said. "Let's get moving." The trio ventured further into the hall when they reached what appeared to be the inner sanctum. In the middle of the room was a large platform, but it was what was on the ceiling that caught the trio's attention. It was a giant orb filled with blood and suspended by numerous blood vessels. And what was inside the orb? It was Loki.

"Little One!" Bayonetta shouted. That's when, out of nowhere, the Masked Lumen appeared and tried to attack the orb. The trio immediately opened fire on the Lumen with their respective weapons only for the sage to use Light Speed to stop time and grab the bullets and arrows out of thin air, repositioning them near the heroes. When the effect wore off, they dodged the reflected projectiles.

"It's that guy from before!" Pit shouted.

"See? What did I tell you? The rival _always_ comes back for a rematch." Dark Pit said.

"Let's save the I-told-you-sos for _after_ we save Loki." Bayonetta said. "You two get him out of there. I'll handle our stalker." The twin angels flew to the orb, summoned their Drill Arms and began drilling into the orb to free Loki. The Masked Lumen made another attempt at the orb, only for Bayonetta to leap right next to him. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were the most persistent stalker I've met yet." she said.

Bayonetta kicked the Lumens Holy Glaive away, then fired several shots from the guns on her heels. The Lumen detached his Glaive into twin swords and used them to deflect her shots, the bullets piercing the blood vessels and causing blood to pour out and slowly fill the room. Insidious groaned in pain as its blood vessels were pierced. The Lumen tossed his blades at Bayonetta, who avoided them with graceful midair dodging. The Lumen caught his blades as he and Bayonetta landed on the platform.

"And here I thought I was your type." Bayonetta causally remarked as she pointed her gun at him. "I guess I had you _all_ wrong."

"Step away, Umbra Witch." The Lumen Sage replied, threateningly pointing his Glaive at her. "This is _not_ your fight."

"Actually, it _is_." Bayonetta replied. The Lumen remained silent for a few seconds, then tossed his Glaive at Bayonetta. Bayonetta nonchalantly dodged it only for the Lumen Sage to reappear behind her and attempted a downward slice. Bayonetta turned to deliver a Wicked Kick with Madama Butterfly's foot, sending him quite a distance away. "Saw that coming." she said.

The Sage regained his footing and summoned several fireballs before hurling them at Bayonetta, who blocked them with her Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa barrier. The Sage responded by summoning a much larger fireball and tossing it at her. Bayonetta summoned her Takemikazuchi hammer and charged it up. When it was fully charged, she swung her hammer at the fireball, sending it flying back at the Masked Lumen. In a panic, the Lumen threw up a barrier to defend against the fireball.

Bayonetta took advantage of the distraction and performed a Stiletto dash towards the Lumen, delivering several rapid punches before sending him into the air with a Wicked Uppercut. After which, she leapt after him and sent him crashing to the ground with a double Heel Stomp. Bayonetta then tried to finish it with an Afterburner Kick, but the Lumen Sage used his Wolf Within and quickly dashed out of the way. He then tried to pounce on Bayonetta, but she used her Bat Within to avoid it and rematerialized behind him to fire two rockets from her Lt. Col. Kilgore tonfas.

Meanwhile, Pit and Dark Pit continued to drill through the orb imprisoning Loki. While their efforts clearly weakened it, it ultimately took a stray fireball from the Masked Lumen to finally shatter it. The explosion shattered the orb and caused blood to pour into the room, completely filling the room with an ocean of blood. Pit emerged from the blood, coughing hard. "Aw, man! This is my best tunic!" Pit complained. "It'll take _weeks_ to get this clean!"

Dark Pit appeared next to him. "Don't be a whiner!" he said. "We gotta find Loki, now come on!" Dark Pit dived back into the blood. Pit sighed and dived after him.

Meanwhile, Bayonetta and the Masked Lumen continued their duel. The two charged at each other, the gun on her heel clashing with the blade of his Holy Glaive and causing sparks to fly. The force of their collision eventually pushed them back. "OBELISON!" the Lumen Sage shouted as he tossed three peacock feathers into the air, creating a portal to Paradiso.

What emerged from the portal was a monstrous four-legged draconic angel. It looked almost mechanical at first glance. On each of its legs, it had a human face on it as well as a halo. It had wings and its head had horns and no eyes, save for a small human face on its chin. This was Sapientia, one of the four Auditio, the Cardinal Virtue of Prudence.

Bayonetta shouted, "CANILU!" as her clothing dissolved into a spiral of hair and opened a portal to Inferno. From the portal came the Infernal Demon Hydra, who pounced on the giant angel, the two diving into the pool of blood. The two titans wrestled with one another, Hydra's tentacles warping themselves around Sapientia's limbs. All the while, the twin angels tried their best to stay out of the fray as they searched for Loki.

The Masked Lumen leapt into the air and performed another downward slice. Bayonetta caught the blade in between her guns and pushed it aside to deliver a kick to the Lumen's face. The Lumen Sage hurled several fireballs at Bayonetta, which were all blocked by her Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa barrier. The Lumen Sage then fired several, clock-shaped magic glyphs at Bayonetta. The glyphs hit and Bayonetta found herself slowing down considerably. It was an offensive version of Light Speed used by Lumen Sages.

With Bayonetta vulnerable, the Masked Lumen detached his Holy Glaive into twin blades and made another attempt to impale her with his Holy Glaive, but Bayonetta recovered just in time to catch the Holy Glaive with her arm. He attempted to swing at Bayonetta with the other blade, but Bayonetta avoided it and countered with a headbutt powerful enough to send the Lumen Sage flying into the waiting jaws of Hydra, who then tossed the Masked Lumen into the air. As he fell to the ground, Hydra's heads came together and simultaneously slashed him witn their blades, send him flying to the ground.

The Masked Lumen rose to his feet and scoffed, making a hand gesture. As if responding to his thoughts, Sapientia emerged from the blood and opened the ports on his back, releasing a salvo of missiles at Bayonetta. Hydra moved in front of Bayonetta and let out a loud shriek with its many heads, creating a sound barrier that deflected the missiles. Hydra then charged at Sapientia who opened his head to reveal four organic tentacles underneath. The tentacles opened fire with laser beams, but Hydra used the blades on its heads to deflect the lasers, sending them sweeping across the room. Outside, Insidious groaned in pain as it felt itself expanding.

Bayonetta and the Masked Lumen dodged the lasers, but when the two locked eyes with each other, Bayonetta saw something that startled her: Around the Lumen's neck hung a small container of lipstick. _Her mother's lipstick._ The same lipstick she had when she woke up from her 500-year slumber. The same lipstick that, in a moment of sadistic creativity, she used to defeat Father Balder. Why does _he_ have it?

Bayonetta was so distracted by the sight, she didn't even notice the Masked Lumen making another attempt to attack her. Before the sage could strike, he was struck in the face by a glowing card. The sage shouted in pain and grasped his face. Bayonetta turned behind her to see Loki and the twin angels hanging on the edge of the platform. "Bulls-eye." he said weakly.

"Little One!" Bayonetta shouted. She turned to the Masked Lumen just as he moved his hand from his face. The card had damaged part of the mask near his right eye. But what she saw next absolutely stunned her. His right eye began glowing an eerie blue light. It was the Right Eye of Light. One of the Eyes of the World.

"The Right Eye...?!" Bayonetta asked. Before she could ponder further, a fierce rumbling occurred as the room began to shake. Loki and the twin angels fell back into the blood. The internal damage from their battle had clearly taken its toll on Insidious. The Infernal Demon swelled like a balloon before finally dying in a spectacular explosion.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: An Ancient Civilization: Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ Bayonetta and the gang had finally reached the Ruins of Lost Memory where the Gates of Hell are said to reside. But before they can enter Inferno, they must break down the barrier surrounding the Gates. And they must also have to deal with the Golem, an ancient machine designed to protect the Garden. Will our heroes finally reach Inferno? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**


	14. Ch 8: An Ancient Civilization

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on _Bayonetta 2!_ After fending off the Infernal Demon Insidious, our heroes found themselves quite literally in the belly of the beast when they ended up devoured by yet another Insidious. There, they encountered the mysterious Masked Lumen, who made another attempt on Loki's life. Bayonetta managed to drive him off, but their climatic clash was more than Insidious could handle, giving it an explosive case of indigestion. Now our heroes have arrived at the Ruins of Lost Memory and must now find a way to unlock the Gates of Hell.**

Insidious' explosion sent Bayonetta and the gang falling into the depths of Lake Noatun. It seemed that the group was doomed to a watery grave once again. But instead of hitting the lakebed, they fell through what appeared to be a portal. And when they reached the other side, they found themselves in another world entirely. The world they were in consisted of various ruins and worn down buildings all floating in an endless void underneath a perpetual night sky. But the centerpiece of this realm was a gigantic inverted purple pyramid that floated in the center of the realm.

The group landed on some nearby ruins. "This is..." Bayonetta trailed off as she surveyed the area.

"Welcome to Hell, mates." Loki said. "Too late to repent."

" _This_ is Hell?" Dark Pit asked. "Was expecting a lot more fire and brimstone."

"Well, technically, we're not in Hell yet." Loki replied. "This is the Ruins of Lost Memory. Long ago, Aesir promised his chosen people they would reside here during Judgment Day. This is also where Aesir had the Garden of God, a place that stored all the Remembrances of Time Aesir created."

"And these are the Gates." Bayonetta said as she stared at the floating pyramid in front of them.

"Yep." Loki said. "Whatever your friend did to get on the other side of these, let's just say, she's _not_ having a good day."

"No, she isn't, little one." Came Bayonetta's somber reply. "But she'd still be alive if she hadn't wasted her life saving mine."

"Huh?" Loki asked. "Well, she doesn't seem like such a bad friend after all. Fimbulventr can wait for now. I'm opening the gates." That got a look of surprise from Bayonetta and the angel twins. "Well, thank you." she said.

"Oh, I can't just leave you lot at a shuttered gate after your sob story, love." Loki replied. "Besides, who's gonna save you if our stalker decides to show up again?"

"You mean who's gonna save _you?_ " Pit teased.

"Hey! I could've taken that bloke!" Loki protested.

"Right. You totally could've." Dark Pit said, eliciting laughs from everyone sans Loki. "Whatever, mates. Now let's do this!"

"Well how do we get to the gates?" Pit asked. "It's trapped in a barrier."

"Yeah." Loki replied. "Aesir himself sealed away the Gates of Hell to keep it from being misused. If we want to get to Inferno, we gotta shatter that barrier."

"Well, this wouldn't be the first time I've stormed the Underworld." Pit said.

"But how do we break down the barrier?" Dark Pit asked.

"Just follow me." Loki said as he ran ahead, using his powers to create platforms for them to jump on. The other three followed behind him, jumping from platform to platform. All the while, Pit kept his eyes on Bayonetta, who was deep in thought. "You okay, Bayonetta?" the angel asked.

"Huh? Oh, I'm fine, little one." Bayonetta hurriedly replied. "Just thinking about something." Pit could tell something was wrong, but he decided not to press it. Bayonetta, meanwhile, went back to her thoughts, which were mostly centered around her last battle with the Masked Lumen. In particular, the fact that he possessed both her mother's lipstick and the Right Eye of Light.

" _The Right Eye..._ " she thought to herself. " _Could it be that he... No. It can't be. He's dead. He's dead and he's not coming back._ " The group continued making their way across the platforms, but were stopped in their tracks when a portal to Inferno emerged in front of them. What emerged from the portal was another Infernal Demon.

This one was a six-legged dog-like creature with three heads. The heads had red horns and no eyes. One of the heads was blue and was located on its rear in place of a tail. On each of its necks were blue eyes. Its shoulders were decorated with horned skulls. This was Greed, the Confuser of Elements.

"Another demon?" Pit asked.

"Pretty much." Bayonetta replied.

"We _are_ on their turf, after all." Loki said as he drew his cards.

"So we're fighting a dog with a head on its butt." Dark Pit said. "Looks like Twinbellows' ugly distant cousin." As if insulted by Dark Pit's remark, Greed opened its mouths and spat two fireballs at the group, forcing them to dodge. Dark Pit leapt over it and fired shots from his Silver Bow, but the moment he landed behind it, Greed's blue head breathed a stream of ice from its mouth, freezing him on the spot.

"Guess you hurt its feelings." Pit teased. Greed pounced on Pit, but the angel lashed out his Chain Chomp, the living weapon biting down the Infernal Demon. "Good dog!" With the Chain Chomp still holding onto Greed, Pit spun around and tossed Greed high into the air. LokI conjured a large blue energy orb and tossed it at Greed, killing it instantly. "Not bad, Little One." Bayonetta said.

"We're getting close to Inferno." Loki replied. "I gotta do my part." Pit walked up to the frozen block of ice containing Dark Pit and used his Burning Palm to melt the ice around him. "I could've broken myself out, you know." Dark Pit grumbled.

"Well why didn't you?" Pit teased, earning him a punch in the shoulder from his dark counterpart. "No time, mates!" Loki said. "We gotta move!" The four of them ventured deeper into the ruins, which had streams of golden water flowing from them. It almost reminded Pit of Skyworld. At the end of the trail, there was a ledge that overlooked the Gates of Hell. On the edge, there was one of the diamond-shaped objects that they had seen all throughout their quest.

"So... Now what?" Pit asked. Loki was about to respond, but cried out and clutched his head in pain as he was beset by another migraine. "Just remembered." he said as he recovered. Loki ran off towards one of the waterfalls. Bayonetta and the angel twins were about to follow when a large, yellow orb appeared in front of them. It looked like a miniature sun at first glance. Small metal cubes appeared and gathered around the orb, giving it a diamond-shaped metallic armor.

"What's that?" Dark Pit asked.

"Not sure." Bayonetta asked. "But if it's going to get in my way, then it's about to get smashed."

"Careful mates!" Loki said as he ran towards the trio. "That thing's the Golem! It's the guardian of the ruins! It must think you're an enemy!"

"Who knows? Maybe it's friendly." Pit said. As if to prove him wrong, the Golem fired a laser at the gang, forcing them to dodge. "How's that theory working for you?" Dark Pit snarkily asked.

"I _said_ maybe." Pit replied in protest. The Golem spun like a top as it charged at the group. The group moved out the way and Bayonetta opened fire with her guns, the bullets chipping away at the Golem's armor. The Golem retaliated with sweeping lasers, trying to hit everyone at once. Pit dodged the lasers and punched the Golem with his Taurus Arm, leaving a huge crack in its armor and sending it flying a good distance back.

Dark Pit took out his Doom Cannon and fired several shots at the Golem. Each shot cracked away at the Golem's armor. The Golem leapt into the air and tried to crush Dark Pit underneath, but Dark Pit swung his Black Club at the Golem, sending it flying towards Loki. Loki summoned his ethereal arms and grabbed the Golem before throwing it towards Pit. Pit pulled out his Capricorn Club and swung it at the Golem, sending it flying into the air. Bayonetta leapt into the air with her fully charged Takemikazuchi hammer and smashed it to the ground, shattering the armor around the orb.

"Time to end this." Bayonetta said. "AFFA TADAAG NAP-!" Before Bayonetta could finish her incantation, the orb sank into the ground. "Now that's just bloody rude." Bayonetta complained.

"So... Did we win?" Pit asked.

"What was that thing?" Dark Pit asked.

"The Golem." Loki replied. "It's the security system to this place. It's a magical construct created by Aesir to guard the ruins."

"But we beat it, right?" Pit asked.

"Not really." Loki shook his head. "It was just testing you. Now that it knows you're a threat, it's gonna come back even stronger than before."

"Well, at least we'll be ready this time." Bayonetta said. "For now, let's keep moving."

"Right." Loki ran back to the temple ruins and used his powers to open a portal in the golden water. "This way, guys!" Loki and the gang dived through the portal and found themselves in Paradiso's Eternal Square. "Why are we in Paradiso?" Bayonetta asked.

"Because this is where Aesir hid one of the keys to unlock the gates." Loki replied. The four of them moved down to the square where they found a blue cube trapped in a diamond-shaped case. Loki used his powers to open the case and the blue cube split into several pieces. "Let's try this piece." Loki said.

"We've got company." Bayonetta said. Just as they were about to leave, a portal emerged behind them. They turned to see an Angel of Paradiso emerge from the ground. This one was a headless centaur with a human face on its chest like the Acceptances and Accolades, but this one was clad in solid gold armor. It had an extra pair of arms folded across its chest. In its right hand, it held a large golden sword. This was Allegiance, a Third Sphere Principality.

"Something tells me he's not gonna let us leave." Loki said.

"Gee, you think?" Dark Pit replied.

"I'll handle this." Pit said as he stepped up to face Allegiance. The angel's golden sword lit itself ablaze with flames. Pit summoned his Aquarius Blade in response and charged at Allegiance. Allegiance raised its left arm and summoned a shield to block against Pit's Aquarius Blade, then tried to swing at him with its own sword. Pit leapt into the air and fired several shards of ice at Allegiance, all of which were blocked by its shield.

Allegiance then tossed its shield at Pit, who tried to bat it away with his Aquarius Blade, but the shield split into several fragments that flung themselves at Pit. Pit dodged them all and attempted to charge at Allegiance, but was forced to move out of the way when the Third Sphere Principality stabbed its blade into the ground, causing it to erupt right under Pit. Pit swerved out of the way and tossed several grenades at Allegiance, startling it and forcing it to rear back.

Pit took advantage of the distraction and charged at Allegiance once again. Allegiance recovered from the shock just in time to lock blades with Pit. At first, the two seemed evenly matched, but then the flames on Allegiance's blade were quickly replaced by ice as the sword froze. Pit smirked and pushed forward, shattering the blade. Before Allegiance could react, Pit sliced the angel in half, it's body disintegrating into gold dust.

"Impressive, Little One." Bayonetta said. "You put on quite a show there. Now let's get moving." The four made their way through the portal back to the ruins. There, they went to the diamond-shaped object. Loki placed the pieces of the cube in the diamond and it surged with power. "So now what?" Bayonetta asked.

" _Now_ , you jump through." Loki replied. "The energy from this thing should give you enough strength to smash that barrier."

"So I'm literally kicking down the Gates of Hell." Bayonetta chuckled. "How very exciting." Bayonetta jumped into the diamond and was sent flying towards the sealed gates with the speed and force of a rocket. Along the way, she passed through more diamond gates, each one increasing her speed and momentum. One she reached the gates, she delivered a diving kick so powerful that it shattered part of the barrier.

Bayonetta landed on another part of the ruins as the twin angels flew to her side with Loki in tow. "That was awesome!" Pit exclaimed.

"Yes, quite exhilarating." Bayonetta said.

"Still got quite a way to go." Loki said. "This way!" The four made their way forward and Loki used his powers to repair another device that looked exactly like the device they used to build the Bridge to the Heavens back at the Cathedral of Cascades. Bayonetta jumped on the device and began turning it. Soon time began to rewind and the ruins began repairing themselves.

They continued to press forward, but were stopped by a Greed and two scythe wielding Hideous. "We so don't have time for this!" Bayonetta said as she summoned her Salmandra chainsaws. Before Greed could react, Bayonetta leapt into the air and cleaved the demonic hound in two. The two Hideous attempted to attack her with their scythes, only for the Umbra Witch to spin in place and decapitate the both of them.

"You could've saved some for us." Dark Pit complained.

"We're on a time limit here." Bayonetta replied. "We need to move." With that, the four continued to make their way through the ruins where they ran into another waterfall. Loki opened a portal into the waterfall and the four of them walked through it and found themselves in another part of Paradiso: the Twilight Courtyard. There, they were met by two Accolades, one wielding a hammer and another wielding a shield.

"Get out of our way!" Loki shouted.

"I got this." Dark Pit said as he stepped forward. The Accolade swung its hammer at Dark Pit, but the black angel leapt over the Accolade and grabbed its wings as he rode on its back. The Accolade violently bucked as it tried to throw him off, but Dark Pit held on and directed the Accolade at the other one, its hammer swings smashing apart the other Accolade's shield apart. Still holding on to its wings, Dark Pit flipped the Accolade and tossed it at the other one. He then pulled out his Doom Cannon and fired a charged shot, killing both of them.

With that out of the way, the four made their way into the church and found most of it underwater. Bayonetta transformed into her Snake Within and dived into the water with the other three following suit. At the end of the submerged room, they saw another blue cube trapped in a diamond-shaped case. Before they could claim it, however, they were attacked by two Fidelities.

"My turn now!" Loki used his ethereal arms and grabbed the two Fidelities before crushing them in between his hands. "Well that was bloody anticlimactic." he said. He grabbed the blue cube and opened another portal. The four jumped through it and ended up back in the Ruins of Lost Memory, this time in a tower of sorts. The group began to climb up the spiral staircase when suddenly the Golem emerged from the floor, this time taking a more abstract form that resembled a blocky mass of liquid metal. It held onto the walls with four large "arms" of sorts.

"Our friend's back again, mates!" Loki shouted. "Time to move!" The four made their way up the staircase with the Golem in hot pursuit. The sheer bulk of the ancient machine caused the staircase to collapse along with the tower. By the time they reached the top, the tower had been completely destroyed. The Golem lunged at the gang, its body turning into a crude hand. But it missed and fell into the abyss below.

"Don't think that's the last we'll see of him." Dark Pit said.

"Afraid not." Loki replied. "He'll be back."

"Well, until then, let's focus on the task at hand." Bayonetta said. The four walked towards the edge of the platform, where there was another diamond-shaped launcher like the one before. Before they could get close to it, another portal to Inferno appeared and out from it dropped a red coffin. The coffin then transformed into a tank-like machine that ran on spiked wheels and had flaming wheels for arms. This was Pride, the Enveloper of Flame.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Loki asked, exasperated. "These bastards don't know when to quit!"

"They don't. And it's starting to annoy me!" Bayonetta shouted. Pride raised its flaming arms and conjured a large fireball before throwing it at the group. Bayonetta protected them with her Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa barrier, then summoned her Undine flamethrowers and fired a blast of cold air at Pride. Pit followed suit and summoned his Poseidon Cannon to blast a torrent of water at the demon.

The combined onslaught completely extinguished Pride's flames. The demon tried to swing at Bayonetta, but Loki used his ethereal arms to grab Pride's arms before violently ripping them off. Loki then grabbed Pride and tossed him into the air. Pit and Dark Pit pulled out their respective Leo and Doom Cannons and fired a combined charged shot that obliterated the demonic tank.

"Nice teamwork." Pit said. "Now let's get moving!" Loki placed the pieces of the blue cube in the diamond and it glowed with life. "I wanna do it this time!" Pit said.

"No way, I wanna try!" Dark Pit said.

"No fair! I called first dibs!" Pit protested.

"Why don't you both go?" Bayonetta asked, wanting to end the stalemate quickly. The twin angels looked at each other and shrugged before they both jumped into the diamond and launched themselves at the Gates of Hell. As they passed through more gates, their speed and momentum increased until they reached the Gates of Hell and punched it with their respective Taurus and End-All Arms, shattering another part of the barrier.

The four landed in another part of the ruins. "Alright, guys!" Loki said. "That's another part of the barrier down. There should be one more little launcher around here. Once we shatter the last piece of the barrier, we'll be able to enter Inferno."

"Let's hurry then." Bayonetta said. "We're almost out of time."

"Right!" the twin angels replied as they continued through the ruins.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: The Gates of Hell. Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ Our heroes have finally reached the famed Gates of Hell, but before they can enter the realm of Inferno, they are once again attacked by the Masked Lumen as well as a mysterious, ghostly figure who seems to be connected to Loki's past somehow. Can our heroes defeat this deadly duo? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**

 **OOC: Sorry if these chapters are coming at a snail's pace. Real life gets busy at times. Anyway, I hope you all are enjoying the story (though some more reviews would be nice).**


	15. Ch 9: The Gates of Hell

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! Bayonetta and the group had finally reached the Ruins of Lost Memory where the Gates of Hell were said to reside. Before they could get to them, however, they first had to shatter the barrier surrounding it. Despite repeated interference by an ancient machine called the Golem, they managed to destroy most of the barrier surrounding the gates. Now our heroes continue their progress.**

Having shattered most of the barrier, the group had found themselves in another part of the Ruins of Lost Memory. The way the platform was positioned made it seemed like the world was upside-down. Loki used his powers to activate one of the diamond devices. Bayonetta got on and began turning it, causing the world around them to return to normal position, as well as repairing the ruins around them and forming a path.

The four made their way into the ruins, but it wasn't long before they were attacked by another Infernal Demon. This demon was a strange creature whose upper body was humanoid with large wings for arms and no hands. On its back was a crescent blade that was the symbol of the Infernal Demons. On its head was a crest with four large blue eyes. The lower half of its body was a large blue orb with no visible legs. This was Malicious, the Gazer of Death.

Malicious was quickly accompanied by more Infernal Demons. These were small creatures with bat-like wings and a tail. They had metallic mouths with the symbol of the Infernal Demons serving as a makeshift horn. On the back of their clawed hands were skulls. These were Fury, the Gatherers of Rancor.

"Oh, goody. More playmates." Bayonetta said. Malicious let out a demonic shriek as the Furies began glowing with a red aura. The Furies' mouths split open, revealing an eye inside, and began firing orbs of dark energy. Bayonetta used her Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa barrier to defend against the orbs, and the twin angels leapt from behind and fired arrows from their bows at the Furies, hitting them square in the eye and killing them instantly.

With its reinforcements gone, Malicious retaliated by firing feathers from its wings. Bayonetta dodged its feathers as she drew her Shuraba katana. Malicious raised its wing and tried to attack, but Bayonetta dashed through the demon with lightning speed, cleaving it in two with her blade.

With the demons defeated, the four made their way into the ruins where they saw another waterfall. Loki used his powers to create a portal in the waterfall. The four walked through it and found themselves in Paradiso's Glittering Passage. There, they saw another blue cube. "That's the last one, mates." Loki said. "With this, we can shatter the barrier and get to Inferno." Just as they approached the cube, a Gravitas emerged and fired a beam of ice at Loki.

Dark Pit jumped in front of Loki and countered the Gravitas' ice beam with a stream of fire from his Phoenix Arm. The sacred flames overpowered the Angel's ice, extinguishing it and dazing the angel. Pit leapt at the Gravitas and performed an uppercut with his Taurus Arm, knocking it into the air. Loki used his ethereal arms and grabbed the Gravitas' legs before swinging it around and throwing it to the ground.

"ARGEDCO!" Bayonetta's clothing dissolved into a spiral of hair as she summoned Labolas from Inferno. The demonic canine pounced on the Gravitas, using the mouths on its paws to pin it down. Labolas bit hard into the angel's body and pulled with such force that it tore its body from its arms. Labolas then crunched down on the Gravitas, killing it in a spray of blood and gore. With a satisfied roar, Labolas returned to Inferno.

Loki grabbed the blue cube pieces and opened a portal back to the Ruins of Lost Memory. The four made their way up the series of platforms until they reached the ruins of what appeared to be a colosseum of sorts. Just as they set foot in it, the Golem appeared once again. "Our stalker's back." Loki said.

"Persistent little bastard, isn't he?" Bayonetta quipped.

"Time to turn this thing into scrap!" Pit shouted.

"Careful mates." Loki said. "Remember, this thing knows we're a threat now. It''s probably stronger than before."

"Good. I was hoping for a challenge." Dark Pit said. The Golem responded by breaking down into cubes. The cubes melted into a metallic liquid as the Golem reshaped its body and transformed into a bat-like creature. The Golem rapidly flapped its wings, generating sonic waves so loud that it caused the four to cover their ears and double over in pain. As they suffered under the onslaught of noise, Loki drew two cards and flung them at the Golem's wings, damaging the loudspeakers generating the sonic waves.

Having recovered from the debilitating noise, Bayonetta lunged at the Golem. The Golem attempted to slash at Bayonetta with its wings, but Bayonetta leapt over it and smashed it with her Takemikazuchi hammer, causing a large crack in its armor. Dark Pit drew his Doom Cannon and fired several shots at the Golem, only for the machine to take to the air and nimbly dodged all of Dark Pit's shots.

It then began to spin around like a drill and dived at Dark Pit, but Loki jumped in front of Dark Pit and used his ethereal arms to grab the Golem, stopping its spinning. He then threw the Golem towards Pit, who drew his Capricorn Club and swatted the Golem into the air where Bayonetta used her fully-charged Takemikazuchi hammer to smash it into the ground, shattering its armor.

The victory was short-lived, however, as the Golem's orb rose up. The metal cubes that formed its armor melted into liquid and reformed around the orb, this time forming into what appeared to be a large wolf-like creature. The Golem lunged at the group, forcing them to move out of the way. The Golem then turned and fired laser blasts from its tail in a sweeping motion. Pit leapt over the laser blasts and landed on the Golem, stabbing it in the back with the blades of his Palutena Bow.

The Golem thrashed about and ran around the arena as it attempted to throw Pit off. Bayonetta used the ice setting of her Undine flamethrowers and froze part of the floor, causing the Golem to slip and crash into the wall. Pit jumped off before it crashed and fired a blast from his Leo Cannon. The explosive round completely destroyed its armor. Pit landed near the others and they waited for the smoke to clear, unsure of what was going to happen next.

They wouldn't have to wait long as a large blade suddenly thrust itself from the smokescreen. The four dodged the blade as the Golem charged at them once more, this time taking the form of a large turret. The blade of the turret turned into a cannon and spun around while firing energy blasts in all directions. Bayonetta used Witch Time, slowing down its bullets and allowing Bayonetta to get close enough to slice its cannon with Shuraba.

With its only weapon destroyed, the Golem was left vulnerable and attempted to retreat. Bayonetta shouted "SUNDENNA!" and summoned Diomedes, who tossed the Golem into the air and rapidly sliced at it with its bladed horn, destroying its armor. "Alright! Time to finish this!" Pit said as he drew his Leo Cannon.

"Wait a minute, Little One." Bayonetta said. "I have a better idea. AFFA TADAAG NAPTA!" Bayonetta's clothing dissolved into a spiral of hair as she summoned six giant hands. The fingertips of these hands had ram heads on them and they also had spikes on their knuckles as well as spiked bracelets. These were the hands of Hekatoncheir, the Shatterer of the Earth.

"Time for some volleyball!" Bayonetta declared. Hekatoncheir's hands began to pummel away at the Golem's orb before knocking it into the air. One pair of hands passed it to another pair, who then bounced it towards another hand which then spiked the orb with such force that it sent the orb flying towards the Gates of Hell with the speed of a cannonball, shattering the last piece of the barrier and flipping the gates right side up.

"Guess all that volleyball practice finally paid off." Bayonetta mused.

"Alright mates!" Loki cheered. "The barrier's down! Now let's get to the gates." Bayonetta summoned Maphas' wings and grabbed Loki as she flew towards the gates with Pit and Dark Pit following suit. They landed in front of the gigantic gates and Loki began laughing. "What's so funny?" Pit asked.

"Nothing." Loki replied. "It's just that you blokes may be the only people on the planet who say 'go to hell' and mean 'take me there'."

"I suppose you're right." Bayonetta chuckled.

"I think I've done my job here." Loki said as he began to walk away. "Time for me to hit the road, guys. Things to do and all."

"The world is dark and full of terrors, you know." Bayonetta said. "No place to be alone."

"What are you on about, love?" Loki asked. "You lot should be lucky I helped you all _this_ long. Now, I need to get to Fimbulventr."

"No! You will stay right here!" Bayonetta shouted, earning looks from both Loki and Pit. "I-I can't focus on what I have to do here if I have to worry about you off on your own. Come now, little one. I'll take you to Fimbulventr after we finish my business."

"She kinda has a point." Pit said. "And there's still that masked creep running around. Who knows when he'll show up. It'd be best if we stick together."

"Yeah, great plan, guys." Loki sarcastically remarked. "You can't be on your own, so let's go into the depths of hell. Go save your friend. I'm outta here."

"I said _NO!_ " Bayonetta said firmly.

"How about I offer a compromise?" Dark Pit finally spoke, having remained silent throughout the conversation. "How about we split up from here? I can take Loki to Fimbulventr while you guys go to Inferno and save Jeanne's soul. Then, once you're done, you can meet us there."

"That's... Actually not a bad idea." Bayonetta said. "Jeanne has a jet. Once we get her soul out of Inferno, we can use her jet to fly to Fimbulventr..."

"...And Pittoo and I can get back to our world!" Pit exclaimed. "Everybody wins! Great plan, Pittoo!"

"Well, then it's settled!" Loki said "We'll try to make our way to Fimbulventr while you rescue your friend. Good luck, mates."

"You too, guys." Pit replied.

"You better keep Little One safe, Pittoo, or you're going to answer to me." Bayonetta said in a playful but threatening tone.

"Don't worry, he'll be perfectly safe." Dark Pit said. He and Loki began to walk away, but they didn't get far as they were face-to-face with the Masked Lumen. Bayonetta and the angel twins drew their weapons while Loki gave an exasperated sigh. "You again? Listen, mate. One, the mask is shit, OK? And two, get out of my way."

The Masked Lumen said nothing, but instead a voice spoke for him. "Your sins must be punished, Loki." The voice spoke. The gang looked around for the source of the voice and it soon revealed itself: A cloaked, ghostly figure descended from the sky and landed next to the Masked Lumen. He was completely blue and transparent, resembling a hologram.

"Who are you?" Loki asked, having never seen the being before. "How the hell do you know me?"

"You pretend to forget me." The phantom began, outstretching his arms in an overdramatic fashion. "But even if your memory may be lost, the Remembrances of Time exist forever." He turned to the Masked Lumen. "Am I wrong, Lumen Sage?" The Lumen responded by summoning his Holy Glaive and charging at Dark Pit and Loki. The Masked Lumen furiously swung his Glaive at the duo, who did their best to fend off his attacks.

"Wait." Loki said, putting up his hands in a sign of peace. " _I'm_ the one you've been trying to kill this whole time?"

"Yes." The Lumen Sage replied coldly. "Child or not, you will see no mercy, Sovereign One. The sins you have forgotten are timeless. Now, remember them as you stare upon my face!" The Lumen Sage removed his damaged masked, exposing a pale face with brilliant blue eyes. A silence fell upon the three as Loki and Dark Pit stared at the Sage. Loki finally broke the silence and asked Dark Pit. "You know this guy?"

"Never seen him before." Dark Pit replied. "He a friend of yours?"

"Sorry, mate. Nothing comes to mind." Loki said. "But now that I know that mouth of yours works, maybe you can jog my memory a bit?" The Lumen Sage put his mask back on and pointed his Holy Glaive at the duo. Dark Pit and Loki drew their weapons and prepared to fight.

Meanwhile, Bayonetta and Pit faced off against the phantom. Bayonetta could sense an oppressively evil aura from the specter. It was suffocating. "Umbra Witch." the phantom spoke, ignoring Pit completely. His voice dripped with menace. "I am who you shall face. You will address me as the Prophetic One. You will return what is rightfully mine. What I should never have lost: The Eye."

"The Eye?" Bayonetta asked. "And what makes you think I'll just hand it over?"

"Because I wasn't giving you a choice." the Prophet said as he rose into the air and formed an energy orb in his hands before firing a laser beam at Bayonetta and Pit. The two took to the air with Bayonetta summoning Maphas' wings and Pit activating the Three Sacred Treasures. Pit fired several arrows at the Prophet, who threw up a barrier to defend against them. The Prophet fired an energy blast at Pit, who absorbed them with his Mirror Shield, then fired it back as orbs of light.

The Prophet defended against the orbs, but was left vulnerable to a Wicked Punch by Bayonetta. The Prophet summoned two ethereal arms. Bayonetta gasped in surprise as that was Loki's power. The Prophet took advantage of the distraction and attempted to crush Bayonetta in between his ghostly hands. Pit pushed Bayonetta out of the way, but was too late to avoid being crushed by the Prophet's hands and was sent falling to the ground.

"PIT!" Bayonetta shouted. Snarling, she charged at the Prophet, opening fire on him with her Lt. Col Kilgore tonfas. The Prophet threw up a barrier and conjured an orb of energy and ensured Bayonetta within. Bayonetta furiously struggled against her prison. "Now then, Umbra Witch." the Prophet said as he approached his captive opponent. "Regarding the matter of the Left Eye...?"

Before the Prophet could do anything, Pit recovered and fired a charged Arrow of Light at him. The Prophet was too distracted to see the arrow coming and it hit him square on. Separating his bow into twin swords, Pit charged at the Prophet and slashed away at him. That gave Bayonetta a chance to break free from the orb and rejoin the fight. The Prophet fired blades of energy at the duo, but they avoided those and Pit summoned his Cancer Claws and punched the Prophet in the face.

The Prophet used his ethereal hands to push Bayonetta and Pit away, then telekinetically gathered the floating debris in the air and formed a tower before hurtling it towards the duo. Bayonetta used her Wicked Weaves to destroy the tower, then materialized Madama Butterfly to deliver a hard punch to the Prophet and send him flying. Pit quickly flew ahead of the Prophet and used his Capricorn Club to swat him away and send him crashing into a nearby piece of debris.

The Prophet recovered and fired another beam of energy at Bayonetta. Pit jumped in front of her and defended against the beam, but the force of it sent both him and Bayonetta falling to the ground. The two tried to get up, but the Prophet fired another blast of energy that sent them flying back.

Meanwhile, Dark Pit and Loki continued their fight with the Masked Lumen. The Lumen Sage separated his Holy Glaive into twin blades and began slashing away at Dark Pit, who countered with the twin blades of his Silver Bow. Loki threw his cards at the Lumen, but he used Light Speed to avoid them and moved behind Loki and kicked him towards Dark Pit.

As Bayonetta and Pit watched helplessly, the Prophet descended towards them. "Umbra Witch." he said, his tone mocking and condescending. "Is this the limit of your power? Did you never open your eyes to your true potential? You are no Left Eye, but you may still forfeit it like a lady."

"No lady would hand anything to a man who chases after little boys." Bayonetta scoffed as she and Pit rose to their feet. The Prophet merely chuckled in response. "Very well." he replied. "If you will not listen, then you will see. See a power beyond time." The Prophet gathered energy in his hands as his forehead began to glow. Bayonetta's eyes widened as she received a vision.

The vision took her back to Vigrid, to the training room of the Umbra. The room was littered with the bodies of her fallen sisters, but two people in the room stood out. The first was a woman on her knees, apparently injured. She was an Umbra Witch. She wore butterfly glasses and was dressed in the Robes of Banishment, an outfit given to Umbra Witches who violated the laws of the clan. She wore chains on her wrists and chest, with loose belts on her limbs. The chains were infused with a magic that suppressed an Umbra Witch's magic. Bayonetta knew who this was, yet couldn't believe what she was saw. It was her mother Rosa.

She then turned her gaze to the man standing next to her. It was the Masked Lumen, only his mask was gone, revealing him to have long, white hair and pale skin. He also wore a monocle. He looked... almost like a younger version of Father Balder. The Lumen Sage glared up at the sky in an aggressive stance. "What is the meaning of this?!" he asked angrily. "You said this was to stop the witches' rebellion!"

Bayonetta looked up and saw who she was talking to: Fortitudo, the Cardinal Virtue of Fortitude and one of the four Audito. The angelic dragon spoke, "The Trinity of Realities belongs only to Jubileus the Creator. For the world to be reborn, the Eyes of the World, the Eyes of the Overseer, the Eyes of God must not remain in human hands."

"Enough of your empty words!" The Lumen Sage shouted, pointing his Holy Glaive at the dragon.

"Balder..." Rosa spoke softly. "This war is not your doing." Balder knelt down next to Rosa and gently cupped her cheek. "No, it is not." he somberly replied. "I was deceived. Deceived by the light. Rosa, I'm so sorry. Please, please be still. I will save you." The heartwarming moment was cruelly cut short by a malevolent, throaty laugh from Fortitudo. Balder turned to glare at the Audito.

"To deceive humans is but an easy task." the dragon said. "They live in chaos. Desire Chaos. Now it is time that you discover death. The witches and sages who rule this realm must be exterminated. The Eyes must return to their rightful place!"

Balder growled. "The Eyes shall remain in-"

"Balder!" Before Balder could react, Rosa leapt behind Balder just as a card flung itself at her, impaling her in the chest. "ROSA!" Balder shouted, glaring in the direction of the thrown card. That's when he saw a young boy wearing a blue hoodie. His face was twisted into a malevolent smile. "What have you _done?!_ " Balder furiously asked. The boy smiled and ran away. Balder wanted to chase him, but he had to attend to Rosa.

Balder knelt down next to Rosa and gently cradled her in his arms. "Rosa. Rosa!" he pleaded. "Stay with me now!" Rosa placed her hand on his cheek as she lovingly gazed into his eyes. "It's been twenty years since I last saw you." she weakly replied. "But I kept it safe all this time... the present you gave me... the symbol of our love." She pulled out a small lipstick canister that had the words " _Balder and Rosa: With Love Until the End of Time_ " engraved on it. When Balder saw it, he closed his eyes to fight back the tears threatening to leak from them.

Rosa continued to speak. "Your face will be the last thing I see. Thank you."

"Rosa, please!" Balder begged. "Don't speak. I will save you... it's still not too late."

Balder..." Rosa continued. "Take care of Cereza... Watch over her. See to it no harm comes to her. When the time comes, our dear, sweet child will be the one. The one to awaken and inherit the Eyes of the World." With that, Rosa closed her eyes for the final time and died. "Rosa...?" Balder asked, trying to shake her lifeless body awake. "Rosa, NO!" he shouted.

He didn't get a chance to grieve as a bright light descended from the ceiling and enveloped him. He soon found himself being pulled towards the ceiling. "Rosa... ROSA!" he pleaded, not wanting to be separated from the love of his life. At that moment, Bayonetta saw Jeanne and her past self barge into the room. Jeanne magically sealed the door behind them, while Bayonetta's past self cradled her mother's corpse in her arms. "Mummy?" she asked.

At that moment, the vision ended and Bayonetta found herself violently thrown back into reality. Sweat poured down her brow, as if she had awoken from the worst nightmare she had in years. "Bayonetta, what's wrong?!" Pit asked as he knelt down next to her, grabbing her shoulders. Bayonetta ignored Pit for the most part. "What was that?" she asked.

"A vision of truth." the Prophet replied. "A Remembrance of Time."

"Lies." Bayonetta hissed. She refused to believe that that nightmare she saw was the truth. The Prophet chuckled. "You possess the Left Eye, do you not?" he asked. "You are an Overseer. See the truth. See with the Left Eye of Darkness. Bayonetta was too stunned to move. The Prophet generated an orb of energy in his hand and prepared to deliver the finishing blow. Pit jumped in front of Bayonetta, ready to fight. He knew he stood no chance, but he had to do _something_.

Loki saw what was happening and threw his cards straight at the Gates, causing them to fly open. A vacuum of air threatened to suck everyone in. Everyone grabbed on to the ground and clung for dear life. The Prophet looked at everyone's struggle and gave a disgusted scoff. "Bothersome pests." he said as he teleported to a safe distance.

"Little One!" Bayonetta yelled as she reached out to Loki.

"Dammit, no choice but to jump!" Loki said. "Guys, let's go!" Loki, Bayonetta, and the twin angels released their grip and allowed themselves to be sucked into the Gates of Hell, with Pit screaming in terror all the way. The Masked Lumen released his grip and dived after the group just as the gates closed.

"That was unexpected." the Prophet mused. "But no bother. The return of the Eyes is simply a matter of time. Time. Heh. Made a little pun." The Prophet chuckled as he teleported back to Mt. Fimbulventr.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, in Skyworld...**_

"PIT!" Palutena shouted. For several hours, she's been using Dyntos' helmet to search different worlds for any trace of Pit. But just now, she sensed Pit's presence. Dyntos, Viridi, and Arlon rushed to her side. "You found him?!" Arlon asked.

"Yeah. Just now I felt his presence call out to me." Palutena replied. "It was faint, but there's no mistaking it. That was Pit, alright."

"Great!" Dyntos cheered. "Just keep focusing on the world where you sensed Pit's presence." He then turned to Phosphora, who had been doing her warm-up exercises in preparation. "Alright, Phosphora. It's showtime!" he said.

"Bout time." she said as she jumped on her treadmill and began running. The electricity generated by the treadmill poured through the cables and into the Dimension Eye, which soon whirred to life. "That's it, Phosphora." Dyntos said. "Pour it on a little more."

At his command, Phosphora began running faster, causing more electricity to pour into the Dimension Eye, causing it to crackle and radiate electricity. Eventually, some of the electricity poured out and began forming a rift in space. Only this time, it was sucking anything in thankfully. "Hot diggety! It worked!" Dyntos exclaimed. "Now then, someone's got to go and get our two angels."

"I'll go." Viridi said.

"Mistress Viridi, you musn't strain yourself." Arlon said. "Please, allow me to go in your place."

"No, Arlon, I think it's best if I go." Viridi replied. "Dark Pit is a part of the Forces of Nature. As it's leader, it's my responsibility to see that he's safe. Besides, it's been a while since I got out on the field and I've grown out of practice."

"Remember, Viridi, Phosphora won't be able to keep that portal open forever." Dyntos instructed. "Once you find them, get back here immediately. Also, take these." Dyntos gave Viridi two small orbs. "What are these?" Viridi asked.

"The orbs will help keep track of Pit and Dark Pit in case you don't return with them." Dyntos replied. "That way, we won't have to go through the trouble of searching every dimension for them. Also, each orb contain something that Pit might need if he's in a jam."

"Okay, I'll be back." Viridi said as she began to walk through the portal.

"Viridi." Palutena called out. "Good luck." Viridi gave a thumbs up and walked through the portal.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: The Depths. Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ Pit and Bayonetta have finally reached the realm of Inferno, but have been separated from Loki and Dark Pit. The two began making the perilous journey through the demonic realm to find their friends and rescue Jeanne's soul. But Inferno is home to many vile and vicious demons. Will they survive the hellish experience? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**


	16. Ch 10: The Depths

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! Bayonetta and the group had shattered the barrier surrounding the Gates of Hell and were finally ready to enter the realm of Inferno. Unfortunately, their path was obstructed yet again by the Masked Lumen, who was accompanied by a being known only as the Prophet. Despite their best efforts, our heroes were hopelessly outmatched by the villains' combined might. In a desperate move, Loki opened the Gates of Hell and the heroes were sucked into Inferno. Separated once more, the group must reunite if they have any chance of rescuing Jeanne's soul from Inferno.**

A groan escaped Dark Pit's lips as consciousness slowly returned to him. Everything seemed like a dream, but when he opened his eyes, the place he found himself in felt more like a nightmare. It was a truly hellish place. It was an endless abyss with floating pieces of land everywhere. A crimson sky blanketed the world and there were tornadoes everywhere.

"Finally made it to Inferno." Dark Pit muttered. The dark angel looked around, but saw no sign of Pit, Bayonetta, and Loki. "Separated again, huh?" Dark Pit sighed and was ready to activate his Pegasus Wings when he heard a voice call out to him. "Looking for me?" Dark Pit turned to find Loki standing behind him. Only there was something strange about him. The hoodie he wore was grey and the pants he wore was blue. Likewise, he didn't wear the chain he usually had. But what really got Dark Pit's attention was the mark on his forehead. It was a diamond, a different shape than Loki's.

Dark Pit drew his Silver Bow and dropped into a fighting stance. "Whoa, mate! What the fuck?!" Loki asked, throwing up his hands in protest. "It's me, Loki!"

"Yeah right." Dark Pit replied. "You _look_ like him, but you're _not_ him. So, wanna tell me who you _really_ are, or do we skip to the part where I beat the answer out of you?"

Loki chuckled slowly. "Resorting to violence?" he asked, his tone mocking and condescending. "What a typical response from a weakling."

"I'll _show_ you weak!" Dark Pit charged at Loki, but the boy outstretched his hand and an orb of blue energy ensured the dark angel. Dark Pit struggled against his prison, but the orb began to shrink and contract until Dark Pit forced his head out of the orb. "Don't worry, mate. I won't kill you." the false Loki said. "I have... _other_ uses for you." He outstretched his hand towards. Dark Pit and the angel soon felt a searing pain in his forehead, causing him to writhe in agony. "No, no, no, NO!" Dark Pit yelled in anguish.

* * *

At that point, far away from where Dark Pit was, Pit woke up with a startled yell. The angel looked around but found no one but himself and Bayonetta, who was still unconscious. Pit walked over to her and gently shook her awake. "Bayonetta, wake up." he said. Bayonetta groaned as she slowly regained consciousness. "Where the bloody hell are we?" she asked.

"You just answered your own question." Pit replied. "We're in Inferno." Bayonetta rose to her feet and realized that they were indeed in Inferno. "We're finally here." she said to herself. Bayonetta looked around, but saw no sign of Loki and Dark Pit. "Where's Loki and Pittoo?" she asked.

"I dunno." Pit replied. "They weren't here when I woke up. Must've gotten separated again." Bayonetta pulled out Jeanne's Umbra Watch, seeing the magic drain out. "Well, I'm sure they'll find us soon." Bayonetta said. "We have to find Jeanne's soul. Time's running out."

"I hope they're okay." Pit said.

"Me too." Bayonetta replied as the two began walking. "Stay close, Little One. A lone angel wandering the depths of Hell is easy prey."

"Have you... been here before?" Pit asked.

"No." Bayonetta replied. "But this is where I'll end up eventually."

"What do you mean?" Pit asked.

"I didn't tell you?" Bayonetta chuckled. "It's _great_ being an Umbra Witch. You live long, you get fancy magical powers, but there's a catch. When you die, your immortal soul comes here." Pit stared in open-mouthed horror at the revelation. The thought of someone's soul spending eternity in a place like this was chilling. Even moreso was Bayonetta's casual resignation of her eventual fate, as if it was just an ordinary thing to her. Pit didn't know whether to admire her for her courage or just be freaked out by it. "That's... Real messed up." he finally worked up the courage to reply.

"Well, you know the old saying: Make a deal with the devil and eventually you end up with him." Bayonetta replied. "Let's keep going." The two came across several platforms and began jumping across them. But just as they got to the third platform, they were forced to jump off as something burst through the platform. Bayonetta and Pit spread their wings and took to the air as they were confronted by a large, centipede-like creature. It's body was grey with many legs and its underbelly was blood red. It had three glowing blue eyes and large mandibles. This was Scolopendra, the Eradicator of Paradise.

"What's _THAT?!_ " Pit shouted.

"It's Scolopendra!" Bayonetta replied. "He must've caught our scent!"

"And he's not alone!" Pit pointed to the tornado where a virtual swarm of Scolopendrae emerged and charged towards the two. "We're outnumbered!" Pit said.

"Quick, fly into the tornado!" Bayonetta said.

"So you want to fly _into_ the eye of the storm? Great plan!" Pit replied sarcastically.

"Well if you have a better fucking idea, I'd love to hear it!" Bayonetta said. The lead Scolopendra roared at the duo. It was a war cry that signaled the others to attack. "Let's move!" Bayonetta shouted. One of the Scolopendrae lunged at Bayonetta, only for the Umbra Witch to dodge to the side and use her Shuraba katana to decapitate it. Another Scolopendra dived at Pit, but the angelic warrior pulled out his Palutena Blade and perform a midair somersault, cleaving the demonic insect in twain.

The two dived into the swarm of Scolopendrae, fending off the infernal insects with their blades as they made their way to the tornado. "Just a little further!" Bayonetta said. "Once we get past the clouds, we're safe! They won't follow us inside!" They eventually made it past the swirling clouds and what awaited them on the other side was a twisted tower of entangled branches and vines. The branches opened up, as if expecting them.

"In there!" Bayonetta shouted. The duo dived into the hole, which quickly closed up behind them. They eventually landed deep into the heart of a forest of some sorts. The whole setting reminded Pit of the aftermath of one of Viridi's Reset Bombs. Pit immediately sat down to catch his breath. "Whew! That was _way_ too close for comfort!" Pit said.

"Get used to it." Bayonetta said. "Those bugs were just the beginning. There are more Infernal Demons where they came from, and many are even worse than they were."

"We just flew through a mass of giant bugs." Pit said. "What could _possibly_ be worse than that?" Pit's answer quickly emerged in the form of a violent tremor. "W-W-Why is the ground shaking?! An earthquake?!" The two turned to see part of the ground rising up, as if something was about to burst. Something did erupt from the ground, alright. It was a giant arachnid demon whose body was partially doused in flames. It wore a crown decorated with skulls and wore similar skull ornaments on its legs. It had six eyes and a mouth filled with fire. This was Phantasmaranae, the Twister of Flame.

"A giant spider? Really? How cliché." Pit rolled his eyes. Phantasmaranae crawled up to the duo. "Bah. I thought I sensed something a little bigger." the spider scoffed. "What a disappointing catch."

" _He doesn't recognize me_." Bayonetta thought to herself. " _Must be a different one than the one I usually summon._ "

"But still, it's been a while since I tasted the flesh of an angel." Phantasmaranae went on, molten lava dripping from its mouth. "Or the flesh of an Umbra Witch, for that matter. I bet you both will make delicious appetizers. Any last words before you're devoured?"

Pit got up and walked towards the infernal arachnid. "Well, I give up." Pit said. "I'm man enough to know when I'm beaten. You're clearly stronger than us. You could probably kill us with a glance with all the power you have in that big body of yours. But I figure that you can't eat..." Pit discretely summoned his Palutena Blade. "...What you can't _SEE!_ " With one fluid motion, Pit slashed at Phantasmaranae's eyes with his Palutena Blade, the holy light of the weapon searing the spider's flesh. Phantasmaranae screeched and thrashed about in agony as the light burned its eyes.

"Nice move." Bayonetta said.

"What, thought I was above fighting dirty?" Pit said

"You puny, pathetic thing!" Phantasmaranae shouted. "I'll step on you like an ant!" The demon spat a fireball in the direction it thought Pit would be. "There's nowhere to run! I'll make you _**suffer!** _ You may have robbed me of my sight, angel, but I can still smell the putrid odors emanating from you and your friend! I'll enjoy grinding your bodies into dust! And when I'm finished sucking the marrow from your shattered bones, I'll cast them into the fires of hell where I'll watch them burn for eternity!"

"God, you fucking talk too much." Bayonetta said as she summoned her Undine flamethrowers and fired a blast of cold air at Phantasmaranae. The spider screeched as the frigid winds extinguished its flames and burrowed itself underground to attack Bayonetta from below. Bayonetta jumped into the air and fired two rockets from her Lt. Col. Kilgore tonfas. The rockets hit their target, but the heat generated by the explosion was absorbed by Phantasmaranae.

"So it eats fire? Great." Bayonetta deadpanned. Phantasmaranae shot a ball of webbing at Bayonetta, sending her plummeting to the ground. Pit rushed over to help her, but was stopped by Phantasmaranae, who swiped at Pit with its claws. Pit backflipped away, then summoned his Poseidon Cannon and fired a condensed blast of water at Phantasmaranae. The arachnid screeched as the water once more extinguished the flames surrounding its body.

Phantasmaranae shook its abdomen, releasing several eggs that hatched into smaller versions of itself. "Attack, my children! Feast!" It commanded. "I'm really beginning to hate spiders." Pit grumbled as he activated his Pegasus Wings and took to the air. The angel spun in place as he fired arrows from his Palutena Bow, causing them to rain down and kill all of Phantasmaranae's offspring. "My children!" The demon howled in fury. "You bastard!"

Meanwhile, Bayonetta struggled against this webbing holding her down. Quickly realizing this was getting her nowhere, she used her Bat Within to split into multiple bats and escape. "This is dragging on too long. PDEE VARMA!" Unlike previous summons, Bayonetta's clothing didn't dissolve into a spiral of hair. Instead, a portal formed behind Phantasmaranae and Madama Butterfly emerged from it. This time, her body wasn't covered Bayonetta's hair.

Before Phantasmaranae could react, Madama Butterfly raised her foot and crashed it down hard on Phantasmaranae. The demonic arachnid screeched and writhed in agony as it attempted to escape. Madama Butterfly continued to stomp on Phantasmaranae again and again until its writhing slowed to a crawl before it eventually stopped. "Ew, I got spider guts on my shoe." Madama Butterfly said. "You owe me a new pair."

"Consider it a Christmas gift." Bayonetta said. Madama Butterfly smiled and retreated into the portal. "Glad that's over." Pit said. The two walked over to a tree with a strange, glossy red core embedded in it. "What's this thing?" Pit asked.

"I don't know." Bayonetta replied. "But I can sense some strange energy coming from it."

"Well, in my experience, I've learned one thing: if it glows, you should probably shoot it!" Pit fired a charged shot from his Palutena Bow, shattering the core and causing the branches to unravel and reveal a path to another part of the forest. "Nice instincts." Bayonetta said. The two made their way deeper into the forest where they soon came across another of those strange trees.

Before they could move any further, a barrier erected itself in front of them. A demonic portal appeared and from it emerged a serpentine creature. The upper half of its body was humanoid and it wore a spiky, bone-like sword on its right hand. It also wore a hood with large shoulder pauldrons and a necklace made from skulls. Two large, curved blades protruded from its back. It also wore a belt decorated with a skull ornament. Its body ended in a long serpentine tail. This was Resentment, the Swindler of Progress.

The Resentment immediately attacked with a beam of dark energy fired from the mouth its hood. Bayonetta leaped out of the way. "Close one!" she said. "Careful, Little One. Get hit by that blast and you'll..." Her words died in her throat when she turned to look behind her. Pit had been hit by the blast and had been transformed into his 8-bit look from his NES days. "...Turn into that." she finally finished.

"What?" Pit asked. "I got something on my face?"

"It's more than just your face." Bayonetta replied. Pit looked down to see his 8-bit look. "Well this is nostalgic." he remarked. The Resentment charged at Pit, pushing Bayonetta out of the way. Pit screamed and fired arrows at the Resentment, but the arrows bounced off the demon. It seems that as he had been regressed to his 8-bit self, he only had a normal bow and arrow. With no other choice, Pit ran for his life as the Resentment chased him down.

"Seems the locals have taken a shine to you, Little One." Bayonetta teased.

"Are you gonna help me or not?!" Pit protested as the Resentment coiled itself around Pit. Several hands emerged from the mouth of its hood and began to extract his soul. Bayonetta walked towards Resentment and grabbed its tail before spinning it around, forcing it to release Pit. She then sliced the beast in half with her Shuraba katana. The Resentment's spell wore off and Pit returned back to normal.

Bayonetta was about to walk towards the tree until she felt something grab her leg. She looked down to see Resentment grabbing at her leg. Despite being sliced in half and reduced to a torso, it was still alive. "I'll swallow your soul!" it shouted. Bayonetta rolled her eyes and pulled out her Onyx Rose shotgun. "Swallow _this_." Bayonetta fired a single shot from Onyx Rose, finishing the demon for good.

Bayonetta then fired a bullet at the red core of the tree, forming another bridge to another part of the forest. As they made their way through the forest, the ground suddenly began to violently shake. "What's happening?!" Pit asked, expecting something else to emerge from underground. "Will you relax?" Bayonetta asked, slightly annoyed. "This place is in constant flux. Earthquakes and tremors like this happen often."

They continued to walk through the forest when they saw another of those strange trees. Pit prepared to fire an arrow at the tree's core, only for Bayonetta to stop him. "What's wrong?" Pit asked.

"We're about to have company." Bayonetta replied. An Infernal portal appeared in front of them and what emerged from it was a six-armed humanoid demon with yellow skin and small, red curved blades on its elbows and knees. It wore a black metallic skirt and metallic bracelets on its arms and legs. It wore a choker on its neck and its face more resembled a mask. This was Sloth, the Embracer of Extremes.

"Intriguing." Sloth said. "To think that a human could sense my presence. There's more to you than meets the eye, is there?"

"I bet you tell that to _all_ the girls you meet." Bayonetta replied.

"Look, we don't wanna fight you." Pit said. "Just let us pass." Sloth threw his head back and laughed derisively, his head rotating as he did. "Oh, but I want to fight _you!_ " he said as he pulled out four blood-red katanas from his back. "It has been a while since these blades have tasted the blood of an angel. Or an Umbra Witch for that matter. You two may make fine opponents."

"Well, if that's how you want it.." Bayonetta pulled out her gun and opened fire on Sloth, who twirled his katana in front of him to deflect the bullets. "Hmph. Guns." he scoffed. "Such an unrefined tool for a pathetic weakling. A true warrior has no need for the cowardly toys of Man."

"Fine." Bayonetta summoned her four Rakshasa swords, wearing two on her heels. Pit summoned his Palutena Bow and separated it into twin blades. They barely had time to react, however, as Sloth charged at the duo. They narrowly avoided his blades and tried to strike back only for Sloth to pull out two more katanas from his back and block their own blades. Bayonetta and Pit tried to overpower Sloth, but Sloth spun in midair and used its feet to pull two more blades out of its back before diving down to impale Pit.

Pit moved out of the way and Sloth's blades ended up stuck in the ground. Bayonetta performed an Afterburner Kick aimed directly at Sloth's face. Sloth attempted to slice Bayonetta with his katana, but Bayonetta separated into a flock of bats and reformed to deliver a kick to Sloth's face, slashing him with the blade on her heel. Pit quickly fired off a charged arrow at Sloth, knocking him to the ground.

Sloth recovered and rose to his feet as his katanas began to glow with dark energy. He then fired off six crescent waves of dark energy at the two. Bayonetta and Pit dodged the waves as they closed in on Sloth. They repeatedly slashed away at Sloth with their swords, who blocked their attacks with blinding speed. Sloth attempted to counter their attacks, only for Bayonetta to block with her swords.

While he was distracted, Pit snuck in from behind and fired several arrows at Sloth's back. Sloth used two of his katanas to deflect the arrows, but this gave Bayonetta an opening and she overpowered his block and slashed him across the chest. Sloth screamed in pain and attempted to strike Bayonetta, but Pit charged at Sloth and knocked him into the air with his Capricorn Club. Bayonetta pulled out her Kulshedra whip and grabbed Sloth by the neck before violently yanking him to the ground.

"CANILU!" An Umbran Portal formed underneath Sloth and Hydra's tentacles emerged from it and wrapped themselves around Sloth. "Any last words?" Bayonetta asked.

"You only won because you cheated." Sloth bitterly replied.

"Cheating? Rich, coming from a demon." Bayonetta snapped her fingers and Hydra's tentacles began to constrict and squeeze around Sloth. Pit looked away as Sloth's limbs were violently torn apart. The demon faded into nothingness. Bayonetta fired a bullet at the tree's core to form a bridge to another part of the forest. That's when they came across Rodin, causally smoking a cigar as always.

"Why, if it isn't Bayonetta and Pit." Rodin greeted, his baritone voice as smooth as ice. "Fancy finding the two of you in a place like this."

"Rodin?!" Bayonetta exclaimed with surprise. "Don't tell me that you came to rescue us like some knight in shining armor?"

"Rescue?" Rodin chuckled. "Do I _look_ like the rescuing type? If you two were to kick the bucket here, I'd be all over your souls like a hungry hyena."

"Well that's reassuring." Pit dryly replied.

"Hey, at least I'm honest." Rodin laughed. "By the way, how's Inferno treating you?"

"Oh, the Underworld is _lovely_ this time of year!" Pit sarcastically replied. "And the locals are so friendly! Especially the ones that _TRIED TO EAT MY SOUL!_ "

"In all honesty, I'd thought you'd be dead by now." Rodin said. "You're definitely no ordinary angel." In that moment, the ground began to shake as something emerged from underneath. It was another Insidious. The demonic manta ray took to the air and flew towards a large structure at the top of the spiraling tower of thorns and vines. They didn't get far when a flock of Hideous and Hatred flew towards them.

"We've got company." Bayonetta said as she drew her guns. Rodin smirked and cracked his knuckles. "Right, I'll go easy on you guys. So let's have some fun!" The swarm of demons descended on the trio. Some of them flew towards Bayonetta. The Umbra Witch summoned her Durga gauntlets and punched the ground, creating a dome of lightning that electrocuted several of them. She then switched her gauntlets to their fire mode and began to perform a breakdance, generating a tornado of flame that sucked the rest of them in, incinerating them on the spot.

A group of Hideous flew towards Rodin, who stood motionless, seemingly unfazed by the horde of demons coming to kill him. Instead, he removed his sunglasses and fired a red laser beam from his eyes, killing them all in a single go. A group of sword and scythe wielding Hideous surrounded Rodin and tried to rush him, but Rodin gathered dark energy in his host and performed a spinning lariat, sending them all flying.

Pit was busy engaging a Hatred in a duel. The two combatants seemed to be evenly matched as neither could land a decisive blow. The Hatred threw its double-edged scythe at Pit, only for him to jump over it and fire a charged arrow at the Hatred's head, killing it instantly. An Infernal Portal appeared and a Greed lunged at Pit. Pit was ready to strike, only for a red laser to pierce Greed's two heads, killing it on the spot.

Pit turned to Rodin with an annoyed expression. "I had him, you know?"

"You're welcome." Rodin replied with a cheeky smile. A Greed pounced on Rodin, but Rodin grabbed its twin heads by their necks and violently tore it in half, causing blood to spill everywhere. At that moment, two Pain tanks emerged. "I got this." Rodin raised his right foot as dark energy gathered around it. He then delivered a violent stomp to the ground, creating a shockwave that killed both tanks instantly.

With all the demons out of the way, Insidious was able to reach the structure. On close inspection, it actually appeared to be a large palace of some sorts. "We're here." Rodin said. "And so is my target, by the looks of it." Bayonetta looked down at Jeanne's Umbra Watch, which was done to the last bead of energy. "Jeanne. She's here.." Bayonetta and Pit spread their wings and began to fly towards the palace.

"Hold up." Rodin said. "You two aren't seriously thinking about getting in between a man and his next payday...?" Bayonetta turned to Rodin with her patented wink and smile. "Chill, Bayonetta." Rodin said. "Don't go shooting up my target, you dig? I need that one intact." Bayonetta shrugged and flew off towards the palace.

"Don't worry, Rodin." Pit said sheepishly. "I'll make sure she doesn't _completely_ destroy your target... Hopefully." Pit chuckled awkwardly before flying after Bayonetta.

"Crazy-ass motherfuckers." Rodin muttered as he shook his head.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: The Ruler of Inferno. Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ Bayonetta and Pit have finally managed to reach the place where Jeanne's soul is held captive, but before they can rescue her, they must first defeat Alraune, the Whisperer of Dementia, who has taken Jeanne's soul to leech off of her power. Will our heroes be able to overcome the villainous vixen of the vines? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**


	17. Ch 11: Inferno and its Ruler

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! Separated from Dark Pit and Loki, Bayonetta and Pit made their way through Inferno as they searched for Jeanne's soul, fighting their way through hordes of horrific Infernal Demons in the process. With the help of Rodin, they managed to reach the palace where Jeanne's soul was located. Now the two must rescue her soul from whoever or whatever has it in captivity.**

 **OOC: Sorry for the delay. Been a busy week.**

Bursting through the roof of the palace, Bayonetta and Pit land inside. The interior felt less like a palace and more like another part of the forest. In fact, the only way one would know that it was a palace was the large staircase that led to a flower that served as a makeshift throne. "What?! A human and an angel?!" a woman's voice echoed through the room. "What brings you two to my palace?"

"We came to pick up a friend." Bayonetta replied. "It's almost her curfew."

"A friend?" the voice asked. "Ah, the witch. Alas, she has been devoured. Such an exquisite soul. And so fresh. Such a delicacy." Bayonetta's smile turned into a frown as she clenched her fists.

"Look, we don't wanna fight you." Pit said. "Just give us our friend back and we'll leave you in peace."

"You will leave at once." the voice commanded. "Be gone, intruders. Your trespass, namely damaging my palace, shall be overlooked if you remove yourselves from this place immediately. Too bad there is no escape from Inferno." Bayonetta summoned Madama Butterfly, who began smashing the palace up a bit. Pit yelped and ducked for cover to avoid the falling debris.

"Are you _still_ going to forgive me my trespasses _now?_ " Bayonetta taunted. "What are you going to do without your precious palace?"

"You're an Umbra Witch as well?!" the voice furiously asked. "And your pact is with Madama Butterfly?!" The whole room began to violently shake, as if it were emulating her rage. "At last, we meet, Madama Butterfly! Not even the passing millennia have quenched my hatred for you!"

Bayonetta drew her guns and Pit summoned his Palutena Bow. "Good thing the three of us girls, and boy, enjoy a good catfight." The flower on the top of the red staircase bloomed and from it emerged a young woman with grey skin, long red nails, and two purple vines protruding from her back. A large, wide-brimmed headdress with gold, purple, and pink accents concealed her eyes. The collar she wore had a purple rose that served as a corset. She wore blood-red clothing that seemed made from foliage. The sleeves on her arms were detached from the rest of her dress. The red thigh-high boots she wore has purple roses on the toes and knees. This was Alraune, the Whisperer of Dementia.

Alraune leapt down from her throne and landed in front of the duo, towering over them both. "Madama Butterfly." she hissed with pure malice and hatred, practically spitting the name out. Alraune also began posing and performing wild gesticulations. "Oh how I've longed for the day to see you suffer at my hands. This shall be the final day of your existence!" She struck a pose as a purple spotlight fell on her.

"Um, you know this lady?" Pit asked Madama Butterfly.

"Sorry, doesn't ring a bell." Madama Butterfly replied.

"Well _she_ knows _you_." Pit stated.

"Darling, when a woman changes her underwear, she puts the past behind her." Madama Butterfly said as she faded away.

"Okay, now I can't _un-see_ that." Pit said with a blush.

"Truer words have never been spoken." Bayonetta chuckled. "I don't know what you did to piss her off, but whatever it was... _Nice_."

"Enough of this nonsense!" Alraune shrieked. "Now you die!" Alraune's nails elongated into claws as she charged at the duo. Pit and Bayonetta dodged out of the way and Bayonetta opened fire on Alraune. Alraune dispersed into a cloud of petals and reformed behind Bayonetta to grab her as she began ripping out her soul. Pit leapt at her with a diving kick, sending her flying. Pit then fired three arrows from his Palutena Bow, each one hitting her square in the chest.

Alraune recovered and the purple vines on her back began to glow as she plunged them into the ground. Immediately, two large red flowers emerged next to her. One of the flowers spat a wad of purple goo at Pit, pinning him to the ground. "Ugh! Gross!" Pit shouted as he struggled to free himself. Bayonetta rushed to his aid, only for Alraune to extend the two purple vines from her back and grab her by the wrists.

"And now the feast." Alraune's vines began to glow. Bayonetta screamed in pain as she felt her very life force being drained from her body. Pit summoned his Burning Palm and melted the goo away before hurling a flaming disc at Alraune's vines, slicing them off and freeing Bayonetta from her grasp. Alraune screamed as the flames burned her vines. She desperately tried to snuff out the fire, but it left her vulnerable to a Wicked Punch from Bayonetta.

"Afraid of fire, huh?" Bayonetta taunted. "You _should_ be." The Umbra Witch summoned her Durga gauntlets and greaves and charged at Alraune. The flower demon cartwheeled out the way and turned one of her legs into a red vine and wrapped it around Bayonetta's throat in an attempt to strangle her. Gasping for air, Bayonetta grabbed the vine with her Durga claws to force Alraune to let go.

An anguished scream ripped from Alraune's throat and she released her grip on Bayonetta, but the Umbra Witch still held on to Alraune's leg and tossed her into the air. She then leapt after her and delivered a Wicked Kick that sent her falling to the ground. Pit followed Bayonetta's example and summoned his Wolf Claws before launching a large stream of fire at Alraune.

Alraune leapt into the air, narrowly avoiding the flames as they scorched a large portion of the room. The demon dived at Pit as she fired a hailstorm of thorns from her fingers at him. Pit used his Guardian Orbitars to deflect the thorns, then fired an X-shaped blast of flame at Alraune. Alraune dispersed into petals to avoid the blast and landed on the ground, only for Bayonetta to hit her with a fireball from behind, knocking her to the ground.

As Alraune struggled to get up, she looked around to see the room completely engulfed in fire. A purple aura surrounded the demoness as anger stirred within her. She glared at the duo with eyes filled with rage and hatred. "My palace...!" she shouted. "You filthy _BITCH!_ " Alraune hissed and lowered herself to the ground as her legs began to recede into her dress. A fierce rumbling shook the palace as something emerged from underneath Alraune.

She was now attached to a large, four-legged, reptilian creature whose head resembled a flower with two large horns. The monster had grey skin with red lines and spikes that lined its long tail. The tail was armed with a long, red stinger. On the creature's abdomen was a large purple rose-shaped mark. The real attention-grabber, however, was what was within the core of the flower. It was Jeanne's soul.

"JEANNE!" Bayonetta shouted.

"Enough games!" Alraune roared, her voice deeper and more distorted. "Had you cried for mercy you may have lived, but now nothing but your last breath awaits you!" A crimson aura surrounded Alraune as the palace began to crumble around them, as if her power threatened to tear at the very fabric of Inferno. Alraune laughed maniacally, drunk on the power that coursed through her veins.

"I can feel myself growing stronger and stronger!" she cackled. "This soul's nutrition is absolutely magnificent! I feel like I could become the queen of this realm!. Pit was about to say something, but Bayonetta began doing a series of dramatic poses before pointing her gun at Alraune. "Then it's going to be a bloody coronation." she said. "Now release my Umbran sister!"

"Prepare to be dethroned!" Pit said. Alraune lashed out at the duo with her tail. Pit fired several darts from his Wolf Claws, but they all harmlessly bounced off Alraune's armored shell. The Umbran seal materialized around her chest as Alraune gathered dark energy in her hands and tossed a blast at Pit. Pit dodged the initial blast, but was still blown away by the shockwave. Bayonetta ran to his aid, but Alraune jumped in front of her and thrusted her stinger at her.

Bayonetta grabbed her stinger and after a bit of a struggle, managed to throw Alraune to the ground. The demon struggled to get up, but Pit fired a beam of ice from his Aquarius Blade, freezing her in place. "That won't hold her forever!" Pit shouted. "Get Jeanne out of there, now!" Bayonetta ran to the head of the flower creature and began to tear open the core of the flower. She managed to rip off a piece of it, but Alraune recovered and swatted Bayonetta away.

She then tried to lash out at Bayonetta with her tail, but Bayonetta used her Salamandra chainsaw to slice it off, causing purple blood to fly everywhere. Alraune screamed in pain and another Umbran seal materialized around her chest. A vacuum of wind began pulling Bayonetta towards her. Bayonetta tried to resist the pull, but she felt her very soul being ripped right out of her.

Pit threw a Boom Spear at Alraune, the explosion knocking her to the ground and saving Bayonetta just in the nick of time. Alraune struggled to get up, but Bayonetta used her Wicked Weaves to pin her to the ground as she ran up and attempted to free Jeanne's soul from its prison. Just as she managed to tear off another piece, a vine emerged from underground and ensnared Bayonetta, hoisting her high into the air.

Pit attempted to cut her free, only for a vine to grab him and hoist him into the air as well. "This farce has dragged on long enough." Alraune said. "I should kill the both of you now for the destruction you caused my palace. But..." she turned to Bayonetta, who in return glared hatefully at the flower demon. "...Well, if the soul of one Umbra Witch yielded such power, then the soul of another will color me invincible!"

She then turned to Pit and began caressing his cheek. The angel cringed at the touch. "And as for you... Well, I've never tasted the soul of an angel before. I bet you'll taste exquisite." Alraune slowly and lustfully licked Pit's cheek. "Time to feast." Two purple vines sprouted from her back and she impaled Bayonetta with one of them. The Umbra Witch screamed in agony as her life force was drained from her body.

"I am _so_ willing to wait my turn." Pit muttered fearfully as a vine impaled him as well. Pit screamed as his soul was being drained. Alraune laughed insanely as she drained their life force, taking perverse joy in their agony. Suddenly, something flew through the air and sliced at the vines. They were small metal leaves placed together to form makeshift shurikens.

"Who _dares?!_ " Alraune shrieked.

"How cliché." a voice replied. A cloud of rose petals descended from the sky and began to coalesce into a human shape. It was the shape of a young girl with gold eyes and long platinum blonde hair that reached all the way to her knees with a bang obscuring her left eye and is also tied up in a ponytail using vines decorated with a purple flower. She wore a shin-length dress colored in purple, red and pink, and decorated with numerous vines and branches with another purple flower serving as a corset. In her hand, she held a large, wooden scythe-like staff.

Pit's eyes widened as a smile spread across his face. He knew who this was yet he couldn't believe it. "Viridi?!" he asked, astonished. "How did _you_ get here?!"

"Same way you did." Viridi replied. "I came here looking for you. Took me a while, but when I sensed your life force fading, I rushed right over." She then turned to stare at Bayonetta with a raised eyebrow, who simply stared back in kind. "New girlfriend, Pit?" she teased.

"Sorry. He's a little too young for me." Bayonetta said.

"Hey! I'm 25 in angel years!" Pit protested with a blush.

"Good, cause I would _seriously_ have to question her taste in men." Viridi said.

"I like this girl." Bayonetta chuckled.

"Great, just what I've always wanted: Two Viridis." Pit deadpanned.

"Cease this useless prattle!" Alraune demanded. Viridi turned to face Alraune, her expression one of causal indifference. "And _you_ would be...?"

"Alraune, Queen of Inferno!" the demon bombastically declared. Still, Viridi remained unimpressed. "Never heard of you." the nature goddess responded. "And I quite frankly don't care. I just want my friend back. So, are you going to hand him over, or do we just skip to the part where I kick your butt?"

"Silence!" Alraune shouted. "You shall pay for your insolence with your life!" Using the energy she leeched from Bayonetta and Pit, Alraune regenerated her tail and lashed out at Viridi with her stinger. Viridi dissolved into a cloud of rose petals before reforming in front of Alraune. "Butt kicking it is, then." An orb of green energy formed in her hand and she blasted Alraune away.

The staff in Viridi's hand began to crack as if something was emerging. The outer shell of the staff blew apart like a cicada shedding its skin, revealing a more oriental look. The handle on the scythe was designed to resemble thorny vines that twisted upwards to a rose lined with thorns. Viridi pressed a button on the scythe's handle and a large, blood-red blade ejected out of the scythe.

"Say hello to my friend, Blooming Death." Viridi said, twirling her scythe confidently. "Now let's have some fun." Alraune tossed two dark energy blasts at Viridi, who twirled her scythe in front of her like a shield. With a swing of her scythe, Viridi fired a blade of red energy and sliced off one of Alraune's arms. Before the demoness could react, Viridi moved with blinding speed and sliced off the other arm as well.

"You bitch!" Alraune outstretched her hands and vines rose from the ground and ensnared Viridi. "Trapped like a rat!" she said. "I'm going to enjoy squeezing the life out of you! I can't wait to savor your every anguished wail!" Viridi said nothing, but merely smiled in response. Her eyes then began glowing green and the vines immediately released their hold.

"WHAT?!" Alraune shouted in complete disbelief. She didn't have much time to react, however, as the trees around her extended their branches and one by one began to impale her, pinning her to the ground. "This cannot be!" Alraune said. "How is this possible?! The plants! The trees! They're supposed to obey _me!_ "

"Oh, quit whining." Viridi deadpanned. "You lost for one simple reason: You're a plant demon and I'm the Goddess of Nature. And compared to me..." Viridi turned her arm into a vine and reached into the core of the flower to literally rip Jeanne's soul out. Alraune screamed in pain as she felt her power weakening. The vines holding Bayonetta and Pit released their grip and the two safely landed on the ground.

"...You're nothing but a weed." she said. "I believe this is yours." Viridi gave Bayonetta Jeanne's soul and walked towards the weakened Alraune. "I'm normally loathe to hurt a fellow nature lover, but you made one. Fatal. Mistake." Viridi kicked Alraune in her face, knocking her onto her back. Vines then wrapped themselves around Alraune's wrists and ankles, pinning her to the floor. "You hurt my friend." Alraune struggled against her bonds, but stopped when Viridi pointed her scythe at Alraune's face.

"Now hold still so I don't make too much of a mess." Viridi raised her scythe and prepared to deliver the final blow. Alraune closed her eyes and awaited her inevitable demise. But just as Viridi swung her scythe, something stopped her. That something was Rodin, who held Viridi's scythe with two fingers as he casually smoked his cigar.

"Damn, woman. I thought I told you to chill." Rodin said. "You got better shit to do than dealing with this... monstrosity."

"Pit? Who's this?"Viridi asked.

"Oh, right. Introductions." Pit said. "Viridi, this is Rodin. Famed weaponsmith of Inferno. Rodin, this is Viridi, the Goddess of Nature."

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance." Rodin said. "Now I got some business with this demon, so I think you'd best let me take it from here."

"Whatever." Viridi replied, dismissing her scythe. "I'm just here for my friends."

Bayonetta ran to Jeanne's soul and placed the Umbra Watch on her. "Jeanne, wake up. You're going to be late." she said, shaking Jeanne's shoulders. Jeanne didn't respond. "Jeanne! It's time! Get up!" Jeanne was still unresponsive. "Please, Jeanne! WAKE UP!" A bright light emanated from Jeanne. A groan escaped from Jeanne as consciousness returned to her. "Cereza?" she said wearily.

"What do you need? A wake up kiss or something?" Bayonetta chuckled. "You never were much of a morning person, were you?" Jeanne looked around as she slowly realized where they were. "This... But this is... Cereza, you came here to... to rescue me? Are you insane?"

"Took the words right out of my mouth." Bayonetta replied, offering a hand to Jeanne and helping her to her feet. "Well, mission accomplished!" Pit cheered. "We finally got your soul back!" Jeanne turned to stare at Pit with a raised eyebrow. "An angel?!" she asked incredulously.

"Oh right, we haven't met." Pit said, extending a hand. "I'm Pit, servant of the Goddess of Light. Nice to meet you in person, Jeanne." Jeanne, for her part, continued to stare at the angel. "You're with _him?_ " she asked.

"Actually, _he's_ with _me_." Bayonetta replied.

"And you two worked together to save me?" Jeanne asked. "No wonder if felt rather drafty in here."

"We already did that joke." Bayonetta chuckled.

"The best kind of joke is a joke told in a slightly different way." Pit laughed. Jeanne soon began to glow as she rose into the air. "What's happening?" she asked

"You need to get back to your body." Bayonetta said. "And get some rest."

"Be careful, Cereza." Jeanne said. "Something... Something big is going to happen to our world."

"I know." Bayonetta replied. "Just get home. And no stopping or turning around along the way!" Jeanne smiled as her soul vanished from the realm of Inferno.

"Well, this has certainly been a heartwarming reunion." Viridi chimed in. "But it's time for us to go as well. Come on , Pit. Say goodbye to your girlfriend."

"First of all, she's not my girlfriend." Pit said. "Second of all, I can't leave yet."

"Why not?" Viridi asked in annoyance. She then looked around, realizing something was amiss. "Wait... Where's Pittoo?"

"That's why I can't leave." Pit said. "We got separated when we ended up in this place. I gotta find him. Plus, you heard what Jeanne said. This world may be in danger. I can't leave it like this."

"You _idiot!_ " Viridi shouted, grasping the bridges of her nose in exasperation. "The portal's gonna close soon! And once it does, it may take several hours before Phosphora can open another one."

"Sorry, Viridi." Pit replied. "You're just gonna have to leave without me for now. I can't leave without him."

"Dyntos had a feeling this would happen." Viridi said. "That's why he told me to give you these." Viridi tossed two small orbs at Pit. "Also, here's this." Viridi gave him a small metal armband. "That's a tracking device. It'll let us know where you are even though we're in different worlds. Once you're finished here, just press the button and hopefully we can open a portal to get you home."

Viridi sprouted beautiful butterfly wings and took to the air. "Try not to die, Pit." she said. "I doubt we can afford another trip to the Rewind Spring."

"I know. I know." Pit replied with a dismissive hand wave. "Just get home. And let Lady Palutena know I'm alright." Viridi smiled and flew away. "You have quite the strange assortment of friends." Bayonetta said.

"You don't know the half of it." Pit replied.

Alraune, meanwhile, attempted to crawl away only to be kicked by Rodin, landing on her back. "Where do you think you're going?" he taunted. "I thought I fucked up my business. Gotta hand it to you guys, this is quality. The perfect palette for an artiste." Rodin pulled out his new weapon and pointed it at Alraune. "Now, time to do my dirty work." Ethereal, purple vines emerged from the weapon and wrapped themselves around Alraune.

"Wh-What are you doing?!" Alraune panicked, digging her claws into the ground as she attempted to pull away. "Stop! No! How dare you do this to me! This shall not stand!" Alraune tried to pull away, but the ghostly vines dragged her into the weapon, leaving only her clothes behind, which soon faded away. The jewel on the weapon glowed with purple light. Rodin chuckled to himself as he admired the weapon with pride.

"Okay, I'm officially scarred for life." Pit said.

"So that's how that works." Bayonetta said. Well, not very romantic."

"Got a nice glow to it, don't you think?" Rodin asked. "As for it's power... Well, I don't think I need to explain the finer points of fucking shit up, do I?" The conversation was interrupted by fierce rumbling. Bayonetta used the Left Eye of Darkness to improve her sight and saw a vision of the Masked Lumen and, strangely enough, Dark Pit attacking Loki. "Little One!" Bayonetta shouted.

"You see Loki?" Pit asked.

"Yes, he's in danger!" Bayonetta replied. "The Lumen's after him! And so's Dark Pit."

"Pittoo?!" Pit asked. "Why is he attacking Loki?!"

"I don't know, but if we want to find out, then we better get there now!" Bayonetta snapped her fingers and Diomedes galloped onto the scene. Bayonetta leapt onto its back and the demonic horse reared back and roared. "Got em' all lined up just waiting to be rescued, huh?" Rodin teased. "Don't forget about your new toy!" Rodin tossed his newly created weapon to Bayonetta.

Pit took one of the orbs Viridi gave him and tossed it. The orb opened up like a pokeball and in a flash of light appeared a bright red chariot with various gold assortments. Attached to it were twin unicorns. Both of them had blue skin with pink manes and tails. Their horns were composed of yellow quartz crystals and their hooves resembled lightning bolts.

"Alright, the Lightning Chariot!" Pit exclaimed as he jumped onto the chariot and grabbed the reins on the unicorns.

"Nice trike you got there." Bayonetta said. "Think it can keep up with Diomedes here?"

Pit flashed a cocky smile. "Let's find out! Phos! Lux! Giddyup!" On Pit's command, the twin unicorns sped off with the speed of a lightning bolt. Bayonetta watched as the chariot zoomed ahead and chuckled to herself. "Not bad. Diomedes! Let's ride!" Diomedes neighed and rode off after the chariot.

All the while, Rodin looked on in amusement. "Beautiful." he said to himself before using a portal to return to the Gates of Hell.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: _The Lumen Sage_. Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ With Jeanne's soul finally rescued from the clutches of Alraune, Bayonetta and Pit race across Inferno to rescue Loki from the Masked Lumen and a brainwashed Dark Pit. Will the heroes finally be able to defeat the Lumen Sage once and for all? Find out on the next action packed chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**


	18. Ch 12: The Lumen Sage

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! After fighting their way through the depths of Inferno, Bayonetta and Pit faced off against Alraune, the Whisperer of Dementia, who had planned to use Jeanne's soul in her mad bid to be queen of Inferno. With some unexpected help from Viridi, Pit and Bayonetta managed to defeat the demon and finally save Jeanne's soul. Now the duo race across Inferno to save Loki from the Masked Lumen. Find out what happens, now!**

 **Just For Fun: It's best if you listen to _You May Call Me Father_ while you're reading the fight between Bayonetta and Balder.**

"So Pit's alive?!" Palutena asked happily, tears of joy streaming down her face. Viridi had just returned with news that Pit was okay. Of course, the news was bittersweet as she couldn't return with either Pit or Dark Pit.

"Yeah, he's alive." Viridi replied. "He's in some crazy world fighting alongside a woman with magic powers. I didn't get all the details."

"Well, why the heck didn't you bring him back?!" Phosphora asked, sitting down and drinking a bottle of water. She was still recuperating from her exercise routine.

"You don't think I wanted to?" Viridi asked back. "He and Dark Pit got separated. I couldn't come back with just one angel. And even if I wanted to, Pit didn't want to leave. He said that the world was in danger and that he had to help save it."

"That's Pit for you." Palutena said. "No matter what world he's in, he's always ready to put the lives of others before his own."

"Well, thanks to that tracking device you gave him, we'll be able to monitor him." Dyntos said. "All we have to do is wait until he finds Dark Pit and places the tracker on him. Once Pit finds him, all he has to do is activate the signal and we'll be able to open the portal once he's ready to go. All we can do now is wait."

" _Pit... Stay safe._ " Palutena thought.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, In Inferno...**_

Bayonetta and Pit sped through the forest on their respective rides, racing to save Loki from the Masked Lumen. The Lightning Chariot was fast, but Diomedes was surprisingly able to keep pace with its speed. But Bayonetta's mind was on something else entirely. "You know, kid, I just don't understand."

"Understand what?" Pit replied.

"Why did you stay behind?" Bayonetta asked. "You helped me get Jeanne's soul back. You could've finally gone home. So why stay?"

"Well, besides the fact that I can't leave without Pittoo, your world's in danger." Pit matter-of-factly replied. "My job is protect humanity, and it doesn't end at the borders of my world. Also..." Pit lowered his head. This was a memory he didn't like to relive. "... A few years ago, in my world, Lady Palutena fell under the control of a monster and ended up losing her soul. I fought like hell to get it back. So when I heard about your friend, it reminded me of that."

Bayonetta chuckled. "I'll admit that at first, I thought that the whole goody-goody routine was just an act, but you really are sweet as fucking pie, aren't you?"

"What can I say, I _am_ an angel, after all." Pit replied. The happy conversation was rudely interrupted by an incoming fireball, forcing Pit and Bayonetta to swerve out of the way. The duo looked behind them to see a pack of Greeds pursuing them. "We got company." Pit said.

"And they brought more friends." Bayonetta replied, looking ahead to see another pack of Greeds charging at them, accompanied by a swarm of Furies. "We don't have time to deal with them!" Pit shouted.

"Agreed." Bayonetta replied. "Let's charge through! Full steam ahead! Diomedes, go!" Diomedes roared and charged through the horde of demons, using its bladed horn to cut down the Greeds that stood in its path. Phos and Lux began firing bolts of energy from their horns, shooting down the swarm of Furies. Bayonetta and Pit opened fire on the enemies behind them with their respective weapons.

Eventually they rode out of the forest and onto a cliff side overlooking a river of blood. As they ran through the cliff side, another Gomorrah appeared and wandered through the cliff side, seemingly ignoring the duo. The two jumped off the cliff side and made their way across the river of blood using small pieces of debris as makeshift platforms. When they got to the other side of the river, the ground began to violently shake and tear itself apart.

Despite some difficulty, the two managed to navigate through the rocky canyon and ended up on a road seemingly made of bone. As they made their way through the path, they were pursued by two Pain tanks. The infernal machines turned their wheels into gatling guns and opened fire on the duo. While their bullets largely missed them, a stray shot managed to hit Diomedes in the leg, causing the demonic unicorn to roar in pain.

Pit turned and drew his Leo Cannon and fired a single shot at the pair of tanks, the large explosion destroying them both in a single go. With them gone, the two continued down the road as it began to fall apart around them, forcing them to dodge the falling debris. Eventually, they saw three figures up ahead. As they got closer, the three figures were revealed to be Loki, Dark Pit, and the Masked Lumen. "There they are!" Bayonetta shouted.

The two watched as Dark Pit and the Masked Lumen attacked Loki. Dark Pit knocked Loki to the ground and the Masked Lumen lunged at him to deliver the final blow, only for Diomedes to tackle the sage to the ground. Dark Pit moved to attack Loki, but was kicked in the face by Pit and knocked to the ground.

"I got Dark Pit!" Pit shouted. "You get Loki to safety!" Bayonetta nodded and began to ride off. The Masked Lumen transformed into a wolf and chased after them, leaving the twin angels alone. "What the heck's gotten into you, Pittoo?!" Pit asked. "Why are you attacking Loki?!" Dark Pit gave no answer in response and that's when Pit noticed something strange. Dark Pit's skin was a ghostly pale shade of blue and his eyes were glowing red.

"You're under mind control, aren't you?" Pit asked as he rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Just great. Look, Pittoo, whatever's controlling you, you gotta fight it!" Dark Pit separated his Silver Bow into twin blades and charged at Pit, who casually dodged to the side and kicked Dark Pit in the back of his head, sending him tumbling to the ground again.

"Guess the only way to bring you to your senses..." Pit then summoned his Cancer Claws. "...Is to _**beat**_ some sense into you." With that, Pit charged at his dark counterpart, ready to engage him in battle yet again.

Meanwhile, Bayonetta rode off on Diomedes with the unconscious Loki in tow. The Masked Lumen, in the form of the wolf, pursued the two. He eventually caught up with them and actually moved ahead of Diomedes and leapt over the demonic steed as he transformed into his human self. He separated his Holy Glaive into twin swords and dived at Bayonetta with blades crossed, intent on decapitating her.

Bayonetta moved out of the way and the Lumen turned and furiously slashed at Bayonetta. The Umbra Witch dodged the initial slashes, and blocked the other with her heel. It was all she could do while carrying Loki in her arms. Bayonetta did her best to avoid the Lumen's ferocious attacks, ducking to avoid being impaled by one of his blades. The Lumen attempted to stab her again only for Bayonetta to perform a split. The Sage tried to slice her again, but Bayonetta deflected his attacks with the guns on her heels as she leapt to her feet again.

The Lumen Sage combined his blades into one spear and attempted to impale Bayonetta again, the surprise attack forcing Bayonetta to toss Loki into the air. Bayonetta dispersed into a flock of bats and grabbed Loki, but accidentally dropped him when she ducked to avoid another attack. The Lumen Sage jumped on Bayonetta and the two of them fell off of Diomedes. They watched as Diomedes rode off with the unconscious Loki on his back.

Bayonetta and the Masked Lumen transformed into their respective panther and wolf forms and chased after Diomedes. "Why must you keep _interfering?!_ " the frustrated sage asked.

"He still owes me some answers." Bayonetta coolly replied. They caught up to Diomedes and the Lumen Sage lunged at the unconscious Loki. Bayonetta leapt from the opposite side and pounced on the Masked Lumen, knocking them both to the ground as they transformed back into human form. "Your impudence will cost you your life, witch." he snarled as their surroundings began to fall apart around them, as if his sheer anger was destroying the landscape, leaving nothing but the small piece of land they stood on.

Bayonetta chuckled. "So you're saying diplomacy has failed then?" The Lumen Sage's mask began to crack as it blew to pieces, revealing a youthful, handsome face underneath. He pulled down his hood and allowed his long, white hair to flow out. He pulled a monocle out of his pocket and placed it over his left eye. Bayonetta's expression became more stern. " _So it wasn't an illusion_." she thought. The thing she had been denying all this time was all too true: The man standing before her now was indeed her father, Balder.

"Surrender, or it will be more than the mask that you lose." Bayonetta said as she drew her guns, focusing more on the fight and less on his face.

"Umbra Witch... Or shall I call you Bayonetta?" Balder asked.

"That seems to be what people call me these days." Bayonetta replied.

"Very well then, _Bayonetta_." Balder said. "You shall be the first Umbra Witch to die at my hands!" Balder rose into the as twenty-one peacock feathers sprouted from his back. Sixteen of them served as wings while five of them served as tail feathers, giving the sage a truly angelic appearance. Seeing him like that brought back memories of that fateful night. The night she had her final confrontation with Balder at Isle Del Sol.

"I swear it on my honor as a Lumen Sage." Balder said. In response, Bayonetta's hair began to extend in length and dark purple aura surrounded her as she activated Umbran Climax. If Balder wasn't holding back, then neither was she. And she wouldn't have to wait long as Balder made the first move, charging at Bayonetta with a blade made of solar energy. Bayonetta used Bat Within to avoid the blade, then countered with a Wicked Punch that sent him flying back.

Balder conjured several fireballs and them at Bayonetta. Bayonetta turned into her Panther form and dodged each one as she raced towards Balder. Once she got close enough, she transformed back into her human form and delivered a dropkick to his chest, then fired several shots from the guns on her heels. Balder threw up a barrier to deflect her bullets, then tossed a large fireball at her.

Bayonetta used her Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa barrier to block the fireball, but it was a diversion so that Balder could close the gap between them to attack with another blade of solar energy. With no way to dodge in time, Bayonetta blocked the blade with her Shuraba katana and threw him back before firing a crescent slash of energy from Shuraba. Balder flew into the air to avoid it, then summoned a multitude of peacock feathers before firing them at Bayonetta.

Bayonetta turned into a crow and flew towards Balder, creating a ring of feathers to defend against his. When she got close enough, Balder tried to slash at her with another solar blade, only for Bayonetta to disperse into a flock of bats and re-emerge behind him to deliver a somersault kick to his shoulder that sent him crashing to the ground.

Balder chanted, "LEVANAEL!", and called down a beam of golden light to strike Bayonetta, sending her falling to the ground as well. However, Bayonetta dived through an Umbran Portal and re-emerged behind Balder armed with her Salmandra chainsaws. Balder turned and defended against the fiery weapons with his solar blades, forcing the two to trade hits for a while. As they fought, the platform moved closer to a large pillar in the center of the realm. As Inferno seemed to tear itself apart, the pillar began to crack and exploded.

Pit, meanwhile, was locked in his own battle with Dark Pit. With the landscape destroyed, the twin angels were forced to fight in midair using their Pegasus Wings. The battle was proving more difficult than expected. It seemed whatever dark force was controlling him also made him stronger than usual. Pit fired several shots from his Palutena Blade, but Dark Pit nimbly dodged each one as he closed in on Pit.

When close enough, Dark Pit fired a blast from his Cursed Palm at point blank range, sending him crashing to the ground. Ironically, he landed on the platform where Bayonetta was fighting Balder. He even landed right next to her. "Nice of you to drop in, Little One." she said. "Having trouble?"

"You might say that." Pit said as Dark Pit landed next to Balder. "Dark Pit's under some kind of mind control and it seems to have made him tougher than usual."

"Hmph, Balder's not exactly playing fair, either." Bayonetta replied.

"Balder?" Pit asked, remembering their conversation at the Cathedral of Cascades. "So that's-?!"

"Yep, that's my father." Bayonetta deadpanned.

"But I thought he was dead?" Pit asked.

"Doesn't matter." Bayonetta bluntly replied. "Fight first, questions later. What do you say we trade dance partners?"

"Okay, but try not to hurt him too much." Pit said as he summoned the Three Sacred Treasures and charged at Balder.

"I make no promises." Bayonetta teased. Dark Pit charged at her with blades drawn and tried to swipe at her, but Bayonetta used Bat Within to avoid the incoming blades. Dark Pit continued to swing at Bayonetta, with her using Bat Within to avoid each attack. Dark Pit leapt into the air and attempted to slice her in half. Bayonetta used Witch Time to slow down time and move behind Dark Pit to deliver a swift kick to the back of his head.

"You're good, kid, but you're nothing compared to the original." Bayonetta taunted. Dark Pit snarled and tried to punch Bayonetta with his Electroshock Arm, only for Bayonetta to duck and and counter with a Wicked Weave Kick that sent him flying into the air. The Umbra Witch leapt into the air and smashed him so hard with her Takemikazuchi hammer that it sent him crashing to the ground. Dark Pit attempted to get back up, only for Bayonetta to pistol-whip him in the back of the head again, knocking him unconscious. "Sweet dreams." she said.

Pit, meanwhile, engaged in a sword duel with Balder, the furious swings of Lumen Sage's solar blades forcing the young angel on the defensive with his Mirror Shield. " _Why are you protecting him?!_ " Balder demanded to know. "You're an angel! Can you not see that he is _evil?!_ That his sins must be _avenged?!_ "

" _I_ can see clearly!" Pit retorted. " _You're_ the one who's blind!" Pit thrusted his shield to throw Balder back, then fired a charged Arrow of Light at him, hitting him square in the chest. Balder righted himself and was ready to strike again, only for Bayonetta to deliver another Wicked Punch that sent Balder to the ground. "ENOUGH!" Balder roared as he leapt into the air and swung down twin solar blades on Bayonetta and Pit, who defended with their respective guns and Mirror Shield. The sheer power of his swing forced the two to their knees as the ground began to crack beneath them.

"He will not be forgiven!" Balder ranted. "He will _never_ be forgiven! On my soul as a Lumen, _HE WILL DRAW HIS LAST BREATH BEFORE ME!_ " As they struggled Bayonetta could clearly see the her mother's lipstick he wore around his neck. The standoff was soon interrupted by a brilliant blue light. The two turned to see Loki floating in midair as a blue aura surrounded him. "This... This is impossible!" Balder shouted.

"Little One?!" Bayonetta shouted.

"Loki?!" Pit shouted. Loki slowly regained consciousness and quickly began to panic. "Wh-Where am I?!" he asked. The light around his body began glowing brighter, as if there was a great power building up within him. "Bayonetta! Pit! G-Get away from me!" The power became too much for him to control and he screamed as the light exploded from his body, the wave of energy engulfing Balder, Bayonetta, and the twin angels.

When it faded, all four of them had vanished without a trace.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: Vigrid, The City of Déjà Vu. Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ Bayonetta and the twin angels awake to find themselves hurled back 500 years in time, back to the time of the fabled Witch Hunts. There, they encounter Rosa, Bayonetta's mother. Now, they must fight their way through the war-torn land to find a way back to the present. Will our heroes survive the bloodiest war recorded in human history? Find out on the next exciting chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**


	19. Ch 13: Vigrid, City of Déjà Vu

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! After rescuing Jeanne's soul from the demon Alraune, Bayonetta and Pit raced through Inferno to rescue Loki from a brainwashed Dark Pit and the Masked Lumen, who was revealed to be Bayonetta's father, Balder. A grueling battle ensued as the realm of Inferno seemed to tear itself apart around them. The face-off was quickly cut short by an out-of-control Loki, whose powers teleported them out of Inferno. Now our heroes awake to find themselves in a land torn by the ravages of war.**

 **Author's Note: Alright! There's only three chapters left! We're close to the end. I'm gonna try to blitz through these and finish this story because I wanna use the month of October to write a novelization for _Sonic Mania_ in preparation for _Sonic Forces_ in November.**

"Confound it!" Dyntos cursed. He and the others had been monitoring Pit's progress using the bracelet Viridi gave him when all of a sudden the monitor went static. Arlon and Dyntos were scrambling to fix it. "What the hell happened?!" Viridi asked.

"Well, it seems that something must've jammed the connection." Arlon replied coolly.

"Can you bring it back online?!" Palutena asked with panic in her voice.

"Can't you see we're working on that?!" Dyntos replied in annoyance as he and Arlon continued to tinker with the monitor. Phosphora had been silently observing them work, but finally walked up to the machine. Raising an electrified fist into the air, she slammed it down on the monitor. Instantly, the monitor returned to normal. Both Arlon and Dyntos stared in astonishment. "A touch crude, but effective." Arlon said. Phosphora chuckled.

"Alrighty, now let's try this again." Dyntos typed a few commands into the keyboard, but what he saw next had him raising an eyebrow in confusion. "This is... odd." he said.

"What is it?" Palutena asked.

"According to the computer, Pit's been transported to another... time period."

"Say what, now?" Phosphora asked.

"What do you mean, time period?" Viridi asked.

"According to the computer, Pit's still in the same world, but he's in a different time period." Dyntos said. "Like he's been hurled through time."

"Will we still be able to pull him back?" Palutena asked.

"Actually, that might be a problem..." Dyntos sheepishly replied. "Theoretically, we should be able to bring them back to our world regardless of what time period they're in, but some kind of dimensional interference preventing us from doing that."

"In layman's terms..?" Phosphora asked.

"Until the two can return to the present, we can't get them back." Dyntos replied. That earned him collective groans from everyone in the room. "You gotta be kidding me!" Viridi facepalmed.

"Oh, hold your horses, people!" Dyntos shouted. "We've gotten this far. Besides, we can still keep track of them through the computer. All we can do now is wait."

" _Pit... Please come back safely_." Palutena prayed.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, in the city of Vigrid...**_

A brilliant blue light filled the night sky as four beams of light and flew off in four different directions. One flew off to the west, while the other three flew off and landed on a nearby cliff side. It was Bayonetta, Pit and Dark Pit. "Man, that was one heck of a trip." Pit muttered. That's when he remembered. "Pittoo!" Pit ran to the unconscious dark angel and tried to shake him awake. Dark Pit's skin had returned to its normal coloration.

"Pittoo! Pittoo! C'mon, wake up!" Pit pleaded. Dark Pit groaned as he slowly returned to consciousness. The dark angel clutched his head in pain. "Damn... What happened last night?" he grumbled. Dark Pit opened his eyes to find Pit staring at him. "Pit...? What happened?" he asked groggily.

"Short version: You were under mind control and you nearly killed Loki." Pit replied nonchalantly. He handed Dark Pit the other armband. "Put this on. Viridi gave them to me. It'll help the guys send us back to our world. What do you remember?"

"I remember... meeting Loki. Or someone who looked like Loki, then I blacked out." Dark Pit replied as he put on the armband. "Don't remember anything after that." Dark Pit looked around and observed the new surroundings. "Where are we now?"

"That's the million dollar question." Pit said. He turned to Bayonetta, who had been staring at the the horizon. "Hey, Bayonetta, where are we, anyway?" Bayonetta didn't answer. She was too lost in her own thoughts to answer. "Bayonetta?" Pit asked, trying to get her attention.

"I know where this is." Bayonetta said softly. "I know _when_ this is."

"What is it?" Pit asked.

"Pit. Dark Pit." Bayonetta began. "I recommend finding a place to hide."

"You called me Dark Pit." Dark Pit said. "That's not a good sign."

"Hide? Why do we need to hide?" Pit asked.

"Because if we are where I think we are, and _when_ I think we are, I don't think it's going to look good if we're seen together." Bayonetta replied.

"Well where and when are we?" Dark Pit asked.

"We're in Vigrid." Bayonetta said. "500 years in the past. During the time of the Witch Hunts." The twin angels looked at her with incredulous gazes. "So wait, we went back in time?!" Pit asked.

"Seems to be the case." Bayonetta replied. "Whatever Loki did, it somehow sent us 500 years in the past. _Why_ we're here is another matter entirely."

"I think the real question is: How do we get back?" Pit asked.

"Fuck if I know." Bayonetta replied. "Let's look around a bit. Maybe we can find a time portal to get us back. But you two need to hide. If any Umbra Witches find you, they'll kill you on sight."

"She's right." Dark Pit said. "Also, we're not a part of this world. One wrong move and we might end up altering this world's history. Time Travel 101: Mess with the past and monkeys rule the world in the future."

"I think Viridi would like that." Pit chuckled. "She's an avid _Planet of the Apes_ fan, after all." Bayonetta and Dark Pit gave unimpressed looks in response, with Bayonetta rolling her eyes. "It was a joke, guys, come on." Pit said as he and Dark Pit activated their Transparency power, turning completely invisible.

"That's good I guess." Bayonetta shrugged. "Now let's go. Stay close to me and keep quiet." The three of them walked to the nearest door and Bayonetta kicked it open. The trio walked into the sanctuary and saw a crowd of Umbra Witches running towards the Fountain Square. As they moved to the fountain in the center of the square, a pair of angels came diving at Bayonetta. They were humanoid, bird-like creatures that wielded large staffs with a circular, spiked headpiece on top. They were Affinities, the most common types of Third Sphere Angels.

Bayonetta drew her guns and prepared to fight, only for the two Affinities to explode in front of her. "Awesome! You beat them without even trying!" Pit said.

"That... wasn't me." Bayonetta replied. "Someone else shot them." The trio turned to the direction of the bullets and what she saw next made her eyes widen. A group of Affinities were fighting an Umbra Witch. But it was who the witch was that caught Bayonetta's attention.

The witch was dressed in the Robes of Banishment, a garb adorned with enchanted chains that suppresses a witch's magic power, used to punish those who broke the rules of the clan. She wore a cloak that was split into two like a pair of wings and the sleeves around her wrists and feet resembled the curves of a bat wing. She also wore glasses designed to resemble the wings of a butterfly. Bayonetta knew who this was, but she just couldn't believe it. It was her mother, Rosa.

Bayonetta watched in awe as Rosa effortlessly fought off her angelic attackers. The Witch was armed with four black and gold revolvers collectively known as Unforgiven. The guns were originally sealed away for being used in the betrayal and injury of a fellow Umbran sister, but with the threat of annihilation encroaching upon them, she figured such powerful and dangerous weapons could be put to better use.

Rosa fended off the Affinities with bullets from her guns, each shot killing the angels instantly. Two of the Affinities charged at Rosa, but she wrapped the chains on her wrists around their necks and pulled, simultaneously decapitating them both. More Affinities charged at Rosa, but the Umbra Witch kept them at bay with skilled and powerful kicks, kicking one of them hard enough that it flew into several others, starting a domino chain that grew into a large ball of angels that headed towards Rosa.

Rosa used the ball as a spring and launched herself higher into the air, then activated Witch Time and froze time around her. Rapidly spinning around in midair, she began firing bullets downward, creating a veritable rainstorm. The bullets landed on the Affinities' staffs, stacking on top of each other. Once Witch Time wore off, the staffs fell on the angels, killing them as the hailstorm of bullets finished off the rest of them.

Rosa landed on top of the fountain and put away her guns. She then turned to face Bayonetta. "We will be overrun soon." she said, her voice gentle but commanding. "Gather at the clock tower. We must defend it with all our strength." She jumped down from the fountain and landed right in front of Bayonetta, who continued to stare at Rosa. She still couldn't believe that the woman standing in front of her was actually her mother.

"You're..." Bayonetta started to say. Rosa looked at Bayonetta for a moment, then her eyes widened as if she recognized her from somewhere. "Y-you..." Rosa was about to respond, but the pair were quickly surrounded by more Angels of Paradiso: A group of Affinities and their larger counterparts, called Applauds. They were led by a large angel in red and gold armor. In its left hand, it held a segmented, circular shield and in its right hand it held a long, serrated sword. It was an Ardor, a Third Sphere Principality.

"For the great glory of Jubileus, attack!" the Ardor commanded. The two witches drew their guns and sprang into action as the angels descended upon them. Some Applauds, armed with bows, rained down arrows from above. Rosa dodged the arrows and retaliated with shots from Unforgiven, killing them instantly. One Applaud jumped down and separated its bow into twin swords and swung at Rosa. Rosa blocked with her guns and countered with a Wicked Kick, firing bullets from the gun on her heel and killing the Applaud.

Bayonetta, armed with her new Alraune whips, attacked the angels, grabbing them and smashing them against each other. One angel charged at her from behind, only for Bayonetta to turn around and impale it with her whip. A group of Affinities attempted to dogpile her, but Bayonetta activated Umbran Climax and threw them off. Bayonetta then performed a breakdance, opening fire with her guns and killing the angels surrounding her.

With its underlings gone, the Ardor charged at Bayonetta and attempted to slice her with its blade. Bayonetta summoned her Shuraba katana to defend against the angel's sword. She struggled against the Ardor's strength, but managed to push the angel back. She then swung away at the Ardor, but her katana bounced off its crimson armor, forcing her to step back. "Is that all you have?" the Ardor taunted.

Bayonetta smirked as she dismissed Shuraba and in its place summoned a large chainsaw. "You were saying?" she asked. The Ardor took a half-step in surprise, but nonetheless charged at Bayonetta with its sword raised in the air. "Glory be to the creator, Jubileus!" the Ardor bellowed as it swung its blade. Bayonetta leapt into the air and swung her blade downward, cleaving the angel in two. "May Jubileus the Creator grace you!" the Ardor screamed as it faded into nothing.

"I never get tired of hearing that." Bayonetta said.

"Don't let your guard down!" Rosa said. In the sky above, three angelic portals appeared and from each on emerged a gigantic airship. The airships were adorned with cherubic faces and the usual gold and red decorations. They were called Worships, Second Sphere Powers in the Hierarchy of Laguna. Flying behind them was Fortitudo, the Cardinal Virtue of Fortitude. The angelic dragon saw the two witches and dived towards them, attempting to crush them beneath his talons.

Dodging at the last second, Rosa and Bayonetta activated Witch Time and opened fire on Fortitudo with their guns. Fortitudo flew back into the air and spat fireballs from his twin mouths. Bayonetta summoned her Takemikazuchi hammer and batted the fireballs back at Fortitudo, hitting the dragon square in its stone face. The marble face on its chest opened its mouth and spat a stream of lava at the two witches.

They managed to dodged the lava stream, but it caused several eruptions of lava to occur in the fountain area, forcing the two witches to dodge the flames. Pit and Dark Pit, who had been watching the fight from a safe distance, tried their best not to get fried. "This is crazy!" Pit complained. "We should be helping them!"

"There's no way to help them without exposing ourselves!" Dark Pit retorted. "And I don't think that other witch is gonna be too thrilled to see two angels. Besides, they seem to have things under control." Pit growled silently, resenting that he had to sit on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, Bayonetta and Rosa continued their battle with Fortitudo. The angelic dragon lashed out with its tail, only for Rosa to grab it and slam Fortitudo to the ground. Fortitudo rolled onto its stomach and tried to push himself up, but the two witches forced his twin mouths open and fired bullets inside his mouths from the guns on their heels. They then grabbed Fortitudo's heads and threw him far into the sky.

"Impressive, sister." Rosa said to Bayonetta. "You fight well. Tell me, what is your name?" For the longest time, Bayonetta remained silent. Part of her wanted to tell Rosa everything, that she was her daughter, to warn her about her impending death. She could prevent it, stop it from ever happening. But then she wondered what would happen if she did. How would it change history? How would it affect her friends? Would she even _exist?_

After what felt like an eternity of hesitation, she finally answered, "Bayonetta." deciding to use the name Rodin gave her. Rosa paused for a moment, then nodded. "Bayonetta. Well, it is fortunate we found each other." she said. "We can use all the strength we can get. Quickly, we must hurry to the clock tower. Time is of the essence!" Using Beast Within, Rosa transformed herself into a tiger and sped off to the door.

Pit and Dark Pit, still cloaked in their Transparency power, walked up to Bayonetta, who was still stunned by the events that had just transpired. "Who was that?" Pit asked.

"My... Mother." Bayonetta replied, somewhat in a daze. "Rosa..." Bayonetta transformed into her Panther form and ran after Rosa.

"I can see the family resemblance." Dark Pit muttered to himself as he and Pit flew after Bayonetta. The three of them followed Rosa into a storeroom. At the other end of the room was a wall with a strange, glowing sphere embedded in it. Rosa summoned a Wicked Weave and punched the sphere, causing the wall to break apart into pieces. "This way, keep moving!" Rosa said.

The group ran outside to a find themselves on a cliffside. They looked to see a Worship emerge from a portal. On a nearby balcony, a few Umbra Witches drew their guns and stood ready to fight. The group watched in horror as the Worship fired a laser beam and killed them all with the ease of swatting a fly. Bayonetta was prepared to help them, only for Rosa to grab her shoulder. "Let's go." Rosa said sternly. "There's nothing we can do for them now."

Bayonetta reluctantly nodded and the four of them continued on their way. Pit, however, seemed to be more rattled by the scene than the others. " _Angels killing humans?_ " he thought to himself. " _This is a nightmare_." The group ran through the balcony as it fell apart around them, dodging the Worship's laser beams. One of the lasers hit the cliff wall, opening a passageway. The quartet dived through the hole and made their way though the corridor. Punching through another magic wall, the four found themselves in the Underground Caverns of Vigrid.

The group didn't get very far when they were stopped by two new angels. They were draconic beings that resembled a cross between a dog and a crocodile. One had blue skin that bristled with electricity and was adorned in golden armor. It had a long tail with triple blades on the end. The other had orange skin that was wreathed in flames and was adorned in silver armor. They were Fearless and Fairness, two Second Sphere Dominions.

The Fairness opened its maw and let out a piercing roar so loud that the group covered their ears in agony. The Fearless extended its tail and lashed out at Rosa, but Bayonetta recovered and leapt in front of her, using her Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa barrier to defend against its tail. Rosa leapt from behind Bayonetta and opened fire on the Fearless, Unforgiven's powerful bullets piercing the angel's golden armor.

Fairness attempted to pounce on Rosa, only for the witch to turn and swat it away with a Wicked Punch. The Fairness landed on the ground and spat several fireballs at Rosa, who activated Witch Time to slow the fireballs down, then batted them back at the Fairness. While the Fairness was distracted, Rosa got behind it and performed a Wicked Uppercut, sending it into the air.

"PDEE VARMA!" Rosa chanted as her clothing dissolved into a spiral of hair and created a portal to Inferno. Out of the portal emerged a giant woman. She had glowing red eyes, her skin was dark green, and she wore a revealing green dress to match. Like Madama Butterfly, her wings and features resembled that of an insect, specifically of the scarab beetle. This was Madama Khepri, the Protector of Time. Madama Khepri grabbed the airborne Fairness and violently tore it in two, spraying blood and gore everywhere.

Meanwhile, Bayonetta continued her own battle with the Fearless. The angel fired a beam of lightning from its mouth and seeped the area with it, forcing Bayonetta to jump into the air. "TELOCH!" she chanted as she summoned a gigantic spiked wheel and slammed it onto the Fearless. Concentrating dark energy into her foot, she kicked the wheel, sending it and the Fearless rolling away. The wheel promptly exploded, killing the Fearless.

With them out of the way, the four of them made their way through the caverns until the reached a waterfall. Before them stood two statues: One of an Umbra Witch, the other of a Lumen Sage. Between them, there was a message written in Enochian that read, "If you wish to walk upon water, prove your mettle by dodging the lightning in a single hair's breadth."

Bayonetta snapped her fingers and her Wicked Weaves held the statues up. Seconds later, a bolt of lightning crashed from the sky. Bayonetta dodged at the last second and activated Witch Time. She and Rosa transformed into their Beast Within forms and dashed across the water to the other side. Once Witch Time wore off, Pit and Dark Pit flew across the water with their Pegasus Wings.

The four continued on their way until they reached a strange obelisk that resembled the magical walls they encountered earlier. Bayonetta threw a Wicked Punch and the obelisk disassembled into stairs that led deeper into the caverns. When they turned the corner, however, they were attacked by another angel. This one was a large, hulking brute of an angel adorned with gold and green decorations. It's face was that of a cherubic young child, a complete contrast to its intimidating frame. It was a Beloved, a Second Sphere Power.

The Beloved punched a hole in the wall and reached in and attempted to grab the two witches. Bayonetta summoned her Takemikazuchi hammer and after charging it up, smashed it down hard on the Beloved's hand. The angel howled in pain and retreated. The group continued through the caverns until they reached a bridge that's was over a river of lava. The lava would frequently splash over the bridge, making it impossible to cross without getting burned.

That's when Bayonetta noticed the Witch and Sage statues from before. She snapped her fingers to activate them and dodged the incoming bolt of lightning, activating Witch Time and allowing her and Rosa to cross the bridge. Pit and Dark Pit merely flew over the bridge. The group ran across the pathway, narrowly dodging a falling boulder that smashed the pathway to pieces.

They turned the corner and ran across another bridge, but when they got halfway through, the same Beloved from earlier emerged from the river of lava and grabbed the bridge, pulling it right off the ground. Bayonetta and Rosa attacked the Beloved's hands to loosen its grip. In response, the Beloved dipped the bridge into the lava in an attempt to burn the witches alive. Thanks to their Witch Walk ability, the duo managed to avoid the lava by running to the other side of the bridge and continued attacking the angel's hands.

Pit and Dark Pit watched the fight from a distance. "We can't just sit here and do nothing!" Pit complained.

"Yeah, but what can we do?" Dark Pit asked. "We help and she might spot us."

"Well, we won't let her see us." Pit replied. "Now, how do we take down big ugly here?" Pit scanned the Beloved, looking for any weaknesses. That's when he spotted the large red node embedded in the Beloved's back. "That looks suspicious." Dark Pit said. The twin angels fired charged arrows from their bows at the red node on its back, stunning the angel. Bayonetta and Rosa saw their chance and leapt at the Beloved, kicking it square in the face.

Just as the Beloved fell into the lava, the two witches activated Witch Time and used the Beloved as a stepping stone to get to the next part of the caverns. Witch Time then wore off, causing the Beloved to be swallowed by the lava. The group continued through the caverns. The unstable ruins made it a treacherous journey as the ruins gave way from under them. They reached a statue of an Umbra Witch, but when they jumped on the ledge, the statue cracked and began to fall.

Bayonetta end Rosa leapt off the statue and onto the nearby ledge, with the invisible twin angels following close behind. Punching through another magical wall, the group found themselves in the inside of a temple. The stained glass ceiling was decorated in the shape of the Umbran symbol. The group climbed up the stairs and ran through the hallway until they reached a room with a large table that resembled a crescent moon. "Good. We've reached the Grand Hall." Rosa said. "We're halfway there. Let's move."

Just as they were about to move, the stain glass ceiling shattered and the same Beloved that had been pursuing them fell through the ceiling, crashing through the floor and falling into the lava below. Bayonetta and Rosa used Witch Walk to cling to the wall. They didn't get a moment to relax as the Beloved leapt out, covered in lava and armed with two tomahawks.

"Quite the persistent stalker, is he?" Bayonetta said.

"Indeed.." Rosa replied. "But as long as there is light, the shadow remains cast. Let's finish this!" The Beloved charged at two witches, wildly swinging its tomahawks. Bayonetta and Rosa dodged the angel's charge and Bayonetta opened fire on the Beloved, her bullets chipping away at its marble skin. Pit and Dark Pit fired arrows at the red node on its back. The Beloved screamed in pain and fired a laser from its forehead, only for Bayonetta to deflect it with her Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa barrier.

While the Beloved was distracted, Rosa got under its chin and performed a Witch Twist, uppercuting it into the air. She then performed a diving Afterburner Kick that sent it crashing to the ground. The Beloved attempted to get up only for Rosa to perform a Heel Stomp on its head. She and Bayonetta attacked its rear with several rapid Wicked Kicks before finally punching it away.

The Beloved got to its feet and attempted to swing its tomahawk, but Bayonetta countered with her triple-bladed Chernobog scythe, knocking the tomahawk out of its and and slicing the hand clean off. It attempted to throw its other tomahawk only for Rosa to shoot it out of its other hand. "Time to end this." Rosa said. "ARZULGE!" Rosa's clothes dissolved into a spiral of hair as a portal to Inferno formed. Out of the portal emerged the head of Gomorrah.

"ARGEDCO!" Bayonetta chanted as she summoned Labolas. Seeing the two ravenous demons looming over it, the Beloved attempted to run, only for Labolas to sink its fangs into its legs and hoist it high into the air. Gomorrah chomped on its head, the two demons holding the Beloved between its mouths in a twisted parody of _Lady and the Tramp_. The demons pulled the Beloved in half and roared in triumph as they returned to Inferno.

"Well, that's the end of him." Bayonetta said.

"Don't celebrate just yet." Rosa said. "This war is far from over. Let's hurry." Bayonetta nodded and the group continued on their way.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, somewhere in Vigrid...**_

A groan escaped Balder's lips as consciousness slowly returned to him. "Where... am I?" the Lumen Sage asked. "I was in Inferno earlier. How did I get here?" He looked around, observing his surroundings. When he saw the Worships in the air, his eyes widened in realization. "Vigrid?! Then that means... The Witch Hunts!" he pulled out the lipstick Rosa gave him, the symbol of their love, clutching it tightly.

"I can still make it. There might still be time!" he shouted. "Please, God, let me not be too late." He sprouted his peacock feathers and took to the air, flying as fast as his wings would carry him.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: The Witch Hunts. Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ Armed with their new mech suits, Bayonetta and Rosa continued through the war-torn streets of Vigrid in their quest to reach the clock tower. Standing in their way are hordes of angels as well as Sapientia and Lustitia, two members of the Auditio. Can our heroes reach their destination safely? Find out on the next explosive chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**


	20. Ch 14: The Witch Hunts

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! After the battle with Balder, Bayonetta and the twin angels were transported to Vigrid 500 years to the past, during the time of the dreaded Witch Hunts. Traversing through the city, they encountered an Umbra Witch named Rosa, who turned out to be Bayonetta's mother. Fighting alongside her. the group fought their way through the underground caverns to reach the temple. Now the group continues to make their way to the clock tower.**

 **Author's Note: Two chapters left! We're close to the end.**

Bayonetta and Rosa walked through the ruined hall of the temple. Rosa was looking for something that could help turn the tide in this war. Eventually, she and Bayonetta reached two large mech suits. The way the suits were built resembled that of a motorcycle, as they had wheels on the joints of the arms and feet, exhaust mufflers, a forward leaning seat, and a red light on the mechs' front that looked similar to the light on front of a motorcycle and resembled Bayonetta's Umbran Watch. The mechs' hands were three sharp claws that had gatling guns on the palms.

"Here it is." Rosa said. "Our greatest weapon: The Umbran Armor." Bayonetta licked her lips, excited at the chance to try out a new toy.

"Ever ridden one of these before?" Rosa asked.

"Never got the chance to." Bayonetta replied, still transfixed by the armor.

"Well, consider this an object lesson." Rosa said as she hopped into the Umbran Armor. She jammed her middle finger into the ignition like a makeshift key and the armor whirred to life. "Get in." Bayonetta jumped into the other Umbran Armor and activated it, punching away some of the rubble covering it. The two then walked outside to a complete and other warzone. The sky was filled with Worships that rained down artillery fire on the city below. Leading the aerial bombardment was a gigantic angelic warship, one that was far larger than many of the Worships. It was adorned with wings, holy decorations and multiple faces. It was a Resplendence, a First Sphere Throne in the Hierarchy of Laguna.

On the ground in the distance, they could see a giant angel attacking the city. This one resembled an armored dragon that had porcelain faces on his legs and a face on his main head, near his bottom chin. His face seemed to be reversed, as his "eye" was near his chin, while his mouth located on his forehead. Like most angels, he was adorned with lustrous metals and jewels. He also had turning silver fans on his flat joints (beneath his halos), and two silver turbines on his neck. It was Sapientia, the Cardinal Virtue of Prudence and Controller of the Seas, one of the Auditio.

"The clock tower isn't far from here." Rosa said. "Let's move!" Bayonetta nodded and the two sped away into the battle. Once they were gone, Pit and Dark Pit emerged from the temple. Their Transparency power had worn off earlier, forcing them to hide lest Rosa mistake him for one of the Angels of Paradiso. The scene laid out before them was one of pure and utter carnage.

"This is insane..." Pit trailed off.

"Come on, we gotta follow them." Dark Pit said as he started to fly off after the two witches. Pit, however, remained where he was, staring up at the Worship-ridden sky. "Pit, let's go." Dark Pit said as he grabbed Pit's arm and tried to pull him away. Try as he might, however, Pit wouldn't budge from his spot. "We gotta help them, Pittoo." Pit said.

"No way, Pit." Dark Pit said. "Helping Bayonetta and her mom is one thing. Helping an entire city is another thing."

"But they're gonna get slaughtered!" Pit pleaded.

" _And there's nothing we can do!_ " Dark Pit shouted in frustration. "This already happened! This whole war is a part of this world's history. Nothing we can do will change that. I know this is gonna be hard to hear, but here's the cold, hard facts: _You. Can't. Save._ _**EVERYONE!**_ " Pit recoiled, tightly clenching his fists. It seemed like he was ready to scream, but instead, he just lowered his head.

"You're right." Pit said lowly. "I _can't_ save everyone. No matter how hard I fight, people may still die. But that doesn't mean I can't try! I'm not going to sit here and let innocent people get massacred without at least giving them a fighting chance, even if their fates are already sealed. And as a clone of me, you should know this by now! So help me, or get the hell out of my way!"

The twin angels glared at each other for a moment, then Dark Pit sighed and grasped the bridges of his nose. "That's one thing we have in common: You're so damn stubborn." Dark Pit said. "Well, if we're gonna help them, we need more firepower."

"If only we had the... Wait, we might have it!" Pit pulled out another one of the strange orbs Viridi gave him and tossed it. In a flash of light, what emerged out of it was a machine that looked like it was part jet and part giant robot. It was mostly silver-colored with blue lines. Its shoulders were large and its right hand was a large gun. The left hand was a smaller gun. Jet engines were on its back and its tail. A large halo-like object was on its back. It was the Great Sacred Treasure, the weapon Pit used to slay the mighty Hades. After Hades' defeat, Dyntos rebuilt the weapon as a reward for Pit, but told him that it should only be used in an emergency.

"Alright!" Dark Pit cheered. "Now _that's_ what I'm talking about!" Pit and Dark Pit hopped into the Treasure's cockpit and the weapon came to life, hovering above the ground. Pit activated the Great Sacred Treasure's new cloaking device, the machine turning invisible. "Ready, Pittoo?" Pit asked.

"Let's do this!" Dark Pit replied as the Great Sacred Treasure rocketed into the air to meet the thousands of Worships in the sky.

On the ground, Bayonetta and Rosa raced to the town square where they were surrounded by six Beloveds, each armed with giant axes. "Time to take these babies for a spin!" Bayonetta charged at one of the Beloveds and punched it in the gut, then fired gatling gun, the bullets flying straight through the angel. She then twirled and delivered a punishing kick to its face, firing the built-in shotgun in the Armor's heel to finish it off.

The other Beloved snuck up behind Bayonetta and tried to strike with its Axe, but Bayonetta turned and delivered an uppercut, knocking it into the air. She then performed a sledgehammer and slammed it to the ground before stomping on the red orb on its back, killing it instantly. Rosa found herself surrounded by the other four Beloveds, but quickly dispatched them with a Bullet Climax, rapidly spinning around and firing bullets in all directions.

With the enemies gone, the two witches made their way through an alley when more Angels of Paradiso appeared. These new enemies resembled floating ships of some kind. At the front of their bodies were golden, winged muzzles with human faces, a shining halo, and a circular platform. At back of their bodies, there were small cabins. Several small paddles lined the ships' undersides. The front of the cabins had red orbs on them. They were Kinships, Second Sphere Powers in the Hierarchy of Laguna.

"Don't let those angels through!" Rosa shouted. The Kinships opened their cabins and fired their missiles at the twin witches. Rosa jumped in front of Bayonetta and erected her Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa barrier to defend against the missiles. Bayonetta jumped from behind Rosa and opened fire on the on the Kinships with her guns, hitting them square in the red orbs and killing them instantly.

With them gone, the twin witches made their way through the alley and into the town square. Before they could go any further, a heavenly barrier erected itself around the area. Immediately after, an Urbane and a Gravitas emerged and fired beams of fire and ice from their heads at the two witches. They dodged out of the way and Bayonetta charged at the Urbane. The Urbane swung its flaming mace at Bayonetta and attempted to hit her, but Bayonetta grabbed the Urbane and slammed it to the ground before pulling its arm completely off, causing blood to spray everywhere.

The Urbane tried to get up only for Bayonetta to fire its own mace at it, the weapon embedding itself in the angel's face. Bayonetta spun around and threw the angel far into the sky. The Gravitas fired its maces at Rosa as she charged at it. Rosa leapt into the air and performed an Afterburner Kick to the angel's face, blowing a hole clean through the Gravitas with the Armor's shotgun heel.

Bayonetta blew an Infernal Kiss at the heavenly barrier, shattering it and allowing the two of them to continue onwards. They made their way through the alley and reached the gate to the bridge. However, Sapientia appeared and attempted to crush them beneath his claw. Bayonetta and Rosa flew into the air as Sapientia opened its head and prepared to fire lasers from the four tentacles underneath.

Rosa's Umbran Armor disappeared into the Earrings of Ruin, magical twin earrings that summoned the armor. She leapt from behind Bayonetta and chanted, "AR AR TIO!", summoning the demon Hekatoncheir. The demon punched Sapientia in the face, sending him flying over the bridge. Hekatoncheir's other hands quickly worked to restrain the Cardinal Virtue, pummeling him a few times before delivering a final punch that sent it flying into the city.

"I'll hold it off!" Rosa said to Bayonetta. "You go on ahead!" Bayonetta nodded and landed on the bridge. Almost immediately, an army of Beliefs and Beloveds appeared. Bayonetta raced across the bridge, knocking aside any angel unfortunate enough to get in her path. Once she reached the other side of the bridge, she ran through the gate and through the alley. Howevrt, once she exited the alley, she could go no further as the road was destroyed.

Rosa caught up to Bayonetta just as Sapientia climbed out of the gorge. "Perish, Umbran dogs!" The Cardinal Virtue of Prudence roared. The slots on his back opened up as he released a salvo of missiles at the two witches."Scatter!" Rosa shouted. Dodging at the last second, Bayonetta and Rosa activated Witch Time and repositioned the missiles so they were all around Sapientia. Once Witch Time wore off, all the missiles flew towards Sapientia.

Sapientia growled and fired lasers from the four halos on his joints that rained down from the sky. They dodged the laser blasts as Bayonetta closed in on him. Before she could attack, however, Sapientia spat a fireball at Bayonetta, sending her flying back. Sapientia, however, was too distracted by his victory to notice Rosa diving at him. Before he could react, Rosa delivered a diving Afterburner Kick to his face, knocking him to the ground.

Sapientia rose to his feet and opened his head to unveil the four tentacles inside it, firing sweeping lasers in all different directions. Bayonetta dodged the laser beams and jumped behind Sapientia. She grabbed the angel by his tail and threw him right into the face of the Resplendence airship, killing him instantly.

The Resplendence opened its mouth and began charging energy. It then fired a powerful laser beam at the city, decimating it and creating a wall of fire that threatened to engulf Bayonetta and Rosa. The two witches flew high into the air and were soon met by a Worship, which immediately opened fire with a salvo of missiles and laser blasts. Dodging the missiles and lasers, the two witches closed in to attack the Worship, only for it to erect an energy barrier in front of it.

"Take out the shield generators on its sides!" Rosa said. The two witches flew to the sides of the Worship. Bayonetta flew to the left while Rosa took the right. On the sides of the ship were cherubic faces with two cables feeding energy to the barrier. Bayonetta prepared to attack the face on her side, only for it to open up and reveal a monstrous pair of jaws in an attempt to devour her.

Bayonetta dodged its fangs and opened fire on the face with her gatling guns. The Worship fired more missiles at Bayonetta, who used Witch Time to freeze the missiles in place. She then grabbed and threw the missiles at the marble face, destroying it and cutting off power to the energy barrier. Now at fifty percent of its power, the barrier began to crack.

Rosa, meanwhile, began to pound away at the marble face on the right side of the Worship, eventually punching a hole straight through its face. With both generators destroyed, the barrier in front of the Worship shattered. Bayonetta flew in front of the Worship. The face on the front of the Worship opened its mouth and fired its laser at Bayonetta. Bayonetta used her Moon of Mahaa-Kalaa barrier to defend against the laser as she charged at the Worship. Once close enough, she punched a hole through the purple gemstone in its mouth, destroying it and causing a chain reaction that caused several explosions through the ship. The Worship slowly descended to the ground, exploding spectacularly on impact.

At that moment, another portal to Paradiso appeared. From it emerged another angel, although "abomination" would be a more apt description. The creature was a giant, grotesque amalgamation of fifteen faces of various sizes fused into a ball that was held together by an orb of rainbow light underneath. Three of the adult faces had stone "tongues" that ended with child faces. From the body itself were three large, barbed vines that ended in large flytraps that had more barbs in their mouths. On the main body and the three stone tongues were halos signifying its position as one of the Auditio. This was Lustitia, the Cardinal Virtue of Justice and Giver of Life.

"Tentacles." Bayonetta groaned, rolling her eyes. " _Why_ did it have to be tentacles?" Bayonetta entered Umbran Climax just as Lustitia fired a spray of acidic poison from the flytraps on his vines. Bayonetta and Rosa dodged the acid and Bayonetta opened fire on Lustitia with her guns. Showing surprising mobility, Lustitia dodged the bullets and lashed out with his tentacles. Bayonetta avoided the tentacles and flew towards Lustitia, only for the Cardinal Virtue to flip over and reveal the child face on the underside. Lustitia gathered energy before firing a beam of rainbow light, hitting Bayonetta and sending her falling to the ground. Rosa, however, managed to catch Bayonetta in time.

"You alright?" Rosa asked.

"I'm fine." Bayonetta replied. "We need to finish this. Pull out some of those tentacles!" The two witches charged at Lustia again. The Auditio fired seed missiles from the mouths of his tentacles. Bayonetta and Rosa shot the missiles down with the gatling guns on their armors, forcing Lustitia to lash out with his stone tentacles. Seeing their chance, Bayonetta and Rosa each grabbed a stone tentacle and violently yanked the stone tentacles from the mouths on Lustitia's body.

Lustitia screamed in pain and lashed out with his vines, grabbing both witches in an attempt to crush them in its jaws. Bayonetta and Rosa jammed their middle fingers in the ignitions of their armors. The armors began to glow as they surged with energy. Using their Beast Within, they escaped Lustitia's grasp just as the armors exploded, taking Lustitia with them. Bayonetta and Rosa watched from a distance, using the wings of Maphas to stay afloat.

"All good things must come to an end, it seems." Bayonetta said. "Oh well, it was fun while it lasted."

"Let us hurry." Rosa said. "The clock tower is not too far from here." Just ad they were about to leave, the shadow of the Resplendence loomed over them. The mouth of the Resplendence was open and ready to fire another energy beam, when suddenly, the face of the Resplendence began to crack as golden light shined from it. "It's gonna blow!" Bayonetta shouted. The witches flew away as the Resplendence was destroyed in a spectacular explosion, taking out several Worships that were caught in the explosion.

"What on earth was that?!" Rosa asked.

"I don't know. Must have backfired." Bayonetta replied. She then thought to herself. " _Or maybe my guardian angels had a hand in it_." Rosa gave Bayonetta a skeptical look, but quickly shook her head. "It doesn't matter." Rosa said. "Let's go!" The two witches flew to the clock tower as fast as they could. Following close behind was Pit and Dark Pit in the Great Sacred Treasure, still using its cloaking device. The Resplendence's destruction was the result of Pit firing a charged shot into the ship's mouth. The tricky part was getting away from the ensuing explosion.

"Pit, that was completely reckless!" Dark Pit complained.

"Maybe, but you gotta admit that was pretty cool." Pit replied. That got a sardonic chuckle out of the dark angel. "You got a point there." Dark Pit said. "Let's follow them."

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: Truth. Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ Our heroes have reached the clock tower, the symbol of the Umbra Witches and are prepared to make their final stand against the Angels of Paradiso. During the fight, Bayonetta and the group are separated from Rosa and run into Loki, but he is not what he seems. Truths are revealed in the next exciting chapter of _Bayonetta 2!_**


	21. Ch 15: Truth

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! Equipped with the Umbran Armor, Bayonetta and her mother Rosa fought their way through the war-torn streets of Vigrid to reach the Umbra Clock Tower, facing off against Sapientia and Lustitia of the Auditio. Meanwhile, Pit and Dark Pit used the Great Sacred Treasure to destroy the fleet of Worships in the sky. Now our heroes have arrived at the Umbra Clock Tower, ready to help the Umbra Witches make their last stand against the Angels of Paradiso.**

 **Author's Note: One. Chapter. Left! We're almost there!**

Bayonetta and Rosa landed in front of the Umbra Clock Tower. There they entered into a battlefield. The Umbra Witches and the Angels of Paradiso were locked in mortal combat in front of the tower. "We made it." Rosa said. "And not a moment too soon. Keep them from the clock tower! We must defend it with all our strength!" They didn't have to wait long as a group of Affinities led by an Applaud charged at the two witches.

Bayonetta and Rosa drew their guns and charged into the battle as Pit and Dark Pit, cloaked in their Transparency Power, landed on the battlefield. "Let's split up and help where we can!" Pit said. Dark Pit nodded and the two invisible angels flew off in different directions.

The Applaud swung its staff at Bayonetta only for the Umbra Witch to block it with her guns, giving Rosa an opening to deliver an Afterburner Kick to its face, killing it with a shot from the gun on her heel. A group of Affinities dived at Bayonetta, but she dispatched them all with a Breakdance, firing bullets in all directions. Bayonetta summoned Shuraba and charged through the hordes of angels, hacking them apart with her katana.

In another part of the battlefield, a lone Umbra Witch found herself cornered by a Fairness and Fearless. She tried to fire a shot from her guns, but the Fearless swatted the guns out of her hands and grabbed her by the throat with its tail. Just when it was ready to kill her, its tail was suddenly sliced in half by the invisible Pit. Before both she and the Fearless could react, Pit quickly decapitated the Fearless and tossed a grenade in the mouth of the Fairness, killing it instantly.

"What just happened?" The Umbra Witch asked herself as she looked around in abject confusion. She quickly shook it off and went back to fighting. Pit, pleased with what he done, smiled and went on to help somewhere else.

Another Umbra Witch was locked in battle with two angels who wore masks and were armed with clawed gauntlets. One angel, named Grace, had red gauntlets that were wreathed in flames and had red veins on its skin. The other angel, named Glory, had blue veins on its skin and wore electrified gauntlets. Both angels were Second Sphere Virtues in the Hierarchy of Laguna.

The two angels attacked with furious claw swipes with the Umbra Witch doing her best to dodge. Glory slammed the ground with its claws, sending shockwaves through the ground and electrocuting the witch. She fell to the ground and was rendered helpless. The Grace moved in for the killing blow only for its head to suddenly explode. Both the Umbra Witch and the Glory looked on in confusion before the Glory's head exploded as well. In reality, Dark Pit had shot them both with his personal Staff.

"Strange things are afoot, methinks." the young witch said to herself before running off to join the battle.

As the fighting raged on, a portal to Paradiso appeared and from it emerged Tempermantia, Manipulator of Winds. His very appearance generating a storm, Tempermantia fired a sweeping laser from his forehead, killing many Umbra Witches. Bayonetta and Rosa ran to the cliffside and opened fire on Tempermantia with their guns. Tempermantia's fist spun around and gathered electricity as he performed a wide hook punch. Dodging at the last second, the activated Witch Time and the two attacked his arm with Wicked Weave Punches.

Eventually, the Witch Time wore off and Tempermantia attempted to backhand them. The two witches backflipped away and Bayonetta fired on Tempermantia with her Lt. Col. Kilgore missile launchers, hitting him square in the face. Tempermantia dug its fingers in the ground and began firing laser blasts from underneath. Bayonetta and Rosa dodged his laser blasts as they closed in on his face. They then delivered a double Wicked Weave Punch, sending the Auditio plunging into the cliff below.

Before the two could celebrate their victory, a roar ripped through the sky. They turned and looked to see Foritiudo in the sky. They both watched in horror as the angelic dragon spat two fireballs at the Clock Tower, destroying it completely. "The symbol of the Umbran way..." Rosa trailed off. "No... There's no way this could have been his plan!" Foritiudo fired another fireball, this one aimed at the two witches.

Bayonetta pushed Rosa out of the way and the two fell off the cliffside. At that moment, a large red serpent flew at the two witches. It was an Inspired, a First Sphere Throne in the Hierarchy of Laguna. The serpentine angel dived at the two witches, ready to devour them both when suddenly, the Inspired was decapitated by an invisible Dark Pit.

Bayonetta and Rosa landed on a piece of debris. "You know, between that giant airship blowing up and angels spontaneously dying around us, I can't help but feel that we've had quite a run of good fortune." Rosa said.

"I-Indeed." Bayonetta stammered, growing nervous. "Luck is most certainly on our side."

"Actually, I don't believe it's luck." Rosa replied. "It's almost like..." Rosa turned and fired a few shots at the ground next to Bayonetta, startling both Pit and Dark Pit and causing the Transparency power to wear off. "...We've had two guardian angels watching over us." she said sternly.

"Um... Hi there." Pit chuckled nervously with a wave. Dark Pit facepalmed in response, annoyed that they had been caught.

"Oh my. We must have missed these two." Bayonetta said, desperately trying to keep up the facade. Rosa simply stared at the trio with arms crossed, seeing through the lie. "You can drop the act, dear, I know they've been following us. By the way, has anyone ever told you you're a terrible liar?" she asked.

"A horrible one." Bayonetta replied with a smile, realizing that the jig was up. Rosa drew one of her pistols and pointed it at Bayonetta. "You know it's considered treason to be seen in the company of angels." she said. Bayonetta and the twin angels lowered their heads. At that moment, another Inspired flew in and attempted to devour Bayonetta, only for Rosa to fire her pistol, killing it instantly. The act was enough to startle the three of them and they all stared at Rosa.

"...But then again, I've more than broken my fair share of rules." Rosa said, holding up her chains to accentuate her point. "And they _have_ been helping us. Plus, I _do_ have a soft spot for the little ones." Pit gave a sigh of relief at the statement. "Well, that's good to know." he said. My name's Pit, and this is Pittoo."

"Dark Pit." Dark Pit corrected. The conversation was quickly cut short by loud screeching. The four of them were quickly surrounded by hundreds of Applauds and Affinities. The group turned to face their attackers, standing back-to-back with each other. "Introductions will have to wait!" Rosa said. "Time to finish this!"

"Let's rock!" Bayonetta shouted.

"So much for not changing history!" Dark Pit said.

"Let's take them out!" Pit shouted. The four of them broke off to face the angelic hordes. Bayonetta and Rosa found themselves facing two Inspireds. One of them dived at Bayonetta, who summoned Malphas' wings and took to the air. The other Inspired dived at Rosa, who leapt onto its back and rode it like a bucking bronco. "PIDPH!" she chanted, summoning the fists and feet of Madama Khepri, who proceeded to pummel the angelic serpent before uppercutting it into the air. Rosa grabbed the Inspired's crest and suplexed the angel, slamming it into the ground and killing it instantly.

Meanwhile, Bayonetta was being chased by the other Inspired. The beast spat fireball after fireball at the Umbra Witch, who skillfully and nimbly dodged each one. The Inspired gradually closed in on Bayonetta. "That's it sweetheart. A little closer." she teased. When close enough, the Inspired opened its jaws and prepared to swallow her whole. Seeing her opportunity, Bayonetta turned and drew her Lt. Col. Kilgore rocket launchers.

"Open wide and say ahh!" Bayonetta yelled as she fired her rockets down the Inspired's throat, causing it to explode from the inside out. "Must have been something he ate." Bayonetta mused. She looked down to see Rosa surrounded by Affinities and leapt down to aid her.

Pit and Dark Pit took to the air to face off against the Affinities, but the Affinities flew past them and went straight for Bayonetta and Rosa. "Now that's just plain rude." Pit said.

"Well, we've been invisible this whole time." Dark Pit said. "Now that they see us, they must think we're on their side."

"Then they won't see this coming!" Pit and Dark Pit drew their bows and fired hundreds of arrows into the sky that rained down on the Affinities and Applauds, killing them all with pinpoint accuracy while leaving Bayonetta and Rosa unharmed. The twin angels landed next to the two witches. "Impressive..." Rosa said. "...for a couple of angels."

"They do have their uses." Bayonetta said. Pit chuckled with a smile and Dark Pit was about to make a snappy remark, but suddenly, an Inspired emerged from below the platform, smashing it into pieces. Bayonetta and the angel twins landed on a piece of the clock tower. "Rosa? Rosa!" Bayonetta said. "Damn it, we got separated." Sensing something heading their way, the three immediately moved out of the way.

They turned behind them to see one of Loki's cards embedded into the ground. Next to it was Loki himself. Only there was something quite different about him. His hoodie was grey instead of yellow and he wore the hood over his head. Likewise, his pants were blue instead of orange and he wasn't wearing the gold chain around his neck.

"S-Sorry, love!" Loki stammered. "Kinda missed a bit there."

"Little one?" Bayonetta asked.

"Here to guide you as always." Loki replied coyly. "Someone sent you lot back 500 years it seems." Dark Pit stared at Loki intensely, then his face lit up with realization. "You! _You're_ the guy who brainwashed me back in Inferno!" he declared.

"C'mon, mate!" Loki chuckled. "What are you on about? This is no time to be acting silly!" All three of them were glaring at Loki now. A large boulder fell in front of Bayonetta and she kicked it towards Loki, who effortlessly destroyed it with an energy blast from his palm. "I see you've already discovered the truth." Loki sighed, his tone of voice was more monotone and lacked any of his usual youthful wit and vigor. "They don't call you the Left Eye for naught, do they?"

"Who are you?" Bayonetta asked sternly.

"Oh, where are my manners?" Loki said as he began to walk to the side "I never introduced myself. My name is Loptr. But never mind that... We have something more important to talk about, my dear." Loptr held out his hands as he began to speak. "The witch and the sage are still alive." he said. "Trifling creatures, both of them. I _must_ be rid of them as soon as possible."

Loptr turned his back to Bayonetta as he outstretched his arms. "I want what they have." he continued. "I want back what is _mine_. The Eyes of the World."

"What?!" Bayonetta asked, incredulous.

"What are you talking about?" Pit asked.

The other me escaped to the future, and I can't let him have them." Loptr said. He then turned to face the trio. "Which is why I must see the three of you eliminated!" A ghostly blue aura surrounded Loptr and he conjured six ethereal arms of blue light. Without warning, Loptr conjured a cluster of ice shards and threw them at the trio, forcing them to dodge.

"I normally don't hurt kids, but I'll _gladly_ make an exception in _your_ case!" Bayonetta said as she drew her guns.

"Payback time!" Dark Pit shouted.

"Let's take him down!" Pit said as he and Dark Pit drew their bows and fired a salvo of arrows at Loptr. Loptr used his ethereal arms to defend against them, giving Bayonetta an opening to use a Wicked Uppercut to launch Loptr into the air. Pit flew into the air after him and delivered a devastating punch with his Taurus Arm, sending Loptr crashing to the ground.

Loptr struggled to get to his feet only for Dark Pit to deliver a dashing uppercut with his Electroshock Arm, sending him into the air again. Bayonetta took the chance and performed a diving Afterburner Kick that sent him to the ground again. Using his ethereal arms to cushion his fall, Loptr got to his feet and gathered energy in his six hands before tossing six energy orbs at the trio.

They dodged the energy orbs and Pit fired a charged shot from his Palutena Bow. Loptr used his arms to block the arrow while Dark Pit separated his Silver Bow into twin blades and charged at Loptr. Loptr used his arms to defend against his sword slashes, thorn attempted to backhand Dark Pit. Dark Pit ducked to avoid the backhand, then slashed at Loptr's chest with his blade.

Loptr cried out in pain and attempted to crush Dark Pit in between his hands, only for the dark angel to backflip out of the way while firing a charged arrow, hitting him square in the chest. Loptr growled. "Return to nothing!" he shouted as he drew a circle with his arms, creating a swirling void on the ground that threatened to suck Dark Pit in. Pit grabbed onto his dark counterpart's legs in an attempt to pull him out, but was sucked in as well.

Bayonetta used her Alraune whip and grabbed Pit's legs, yanking both angels out of the void. "Enough games!" Loptr's ethereal arms stretched all the way into space and grabbed a passing meteorite before hurling it at the trio. "You gotta be kidding me!" Dark Pit said.

"Come on! How is that _not_ cheating?!" Pit complained.

"I've got this. PDEE VARMA!" Bayonetta opened another portal to Inferno as she summoned Madama Butterfly. Seeing the incoming meteorite, Madama Butterfly reared back as the meteor closed in. Once it was in range, she delivered a punishing headbutt, shattering the meteorite to pieces. Loptr called down beams of golden light from the sky to attack the trio.

They dodged the beams of light as they closed in on Loptr. They all attacked together, Bayonetta using another Afterburner Kick while the twin angels used their bows. Loptr blocked them all with his ethereal arms. "You're wasting my time!" he roared as he pushed them back, sending them flying into a piece of rubble. Loptr then used his ethereal arms to grab another piece of the clock tower and slammed it down on the trio, smashing the piece of the clock tower they were standing on.

Loptr laughed evilly as he flew off into the distance. "Now, if you'll excuse me, my friends..."

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, in the present day...**_

"WOO-HOO!" Luka cheered as he swung through the sky, landing in front of the fabled Gates of Hell. It had taken him quite some time and quite a few detours and bad turns, but he had at last found the Gates of Hell. He pulled out his journal and skimmed through his notes. "If I've got it right..." he muttered. "Then this gate should lead to..." He outstretched his hand to touch the gate and words written in Enochian appeared, glowing with a blood-red light.

Suddenly, the gates opened by themselves. Startled, Luka took a step back, unsure of what would emerge. What emerged from the gate was an exhausted Loki, who fell to the ground. "KID!" Luka ran to Loki's aid and scooped him up in his arms. "H-Hey, pull yourself together!" he said. ""What happened?!"

"Luka, was it?" Loki asked. "You know the way to Fimbulventr, right? Please... Take me there.. I... I remember. I remember everything. I have to hurry."

"Are you nuts, kid?!" Luka asked. "We need to get you patched up!" Loki grabbed Luka by the collar. "There's no time!" he shouted pleadingly. "Please, take me to Fimbulventr, or the world... will end! He and I... We are Good... and Evil... Evil cannot be all that is left."

"What...?" Luka asked, completely confused. Loki reached into his pocket and pulled out a card with a hole in it. This was the card Bayonetta shot when they first met. "Keep us safe with this." he said. "It's my trump card. Please... Just take me there..." Exhausted, Loki fainted in Luka's arms.

Luka chuckled a bit. "Girls passing out in front of me, I'm used to." he mused. "But _this_ , this is unbelievable." Placing Loki's card in his teeth, he picked Loki up and carried him on his back. "Well, I guess it beats addicting toddlers to lollipops." he said as he began the trek to Fimbulventr.

* * *

 _ **Back in Vigrid in the past...**_

Bayonetta and the angels fell through sky and the three landed in the Crescent and Sunrise Valley. "Damn it all..." Bayonetta groaned. "You guys alright?"

"This isn't the first time I've fallen from high places." Pit said.

"I'll live." Dark Pit groaned. "Where are we?"

"In the Crescent and Sunrise Valley." Bayonetta replied. "Let's go! There's not much time!" The trio ran down the path and reached the sacred training grounds of the Umbra. At that moment, Balder ran towards the group, having arrived in the valley around the same time. Bayonetta and Balder exchanged quick glances, then the four of them ran inside the training grounds.

What awaited the quartet was a scene of utter horror. The room was littered with the corpses of slain Umbra Witches. Rosa was lying in the center of the room in a pool of her own blood. Standing over her was Loptr, holding a bloodstained card. "ROSA!" Balder shouted as he lunged at Loptr with his Holy Glaive. Loptr performed a front flip to avoid the Glaive, turning to face Balder. He retreated into the darkness with a chilling smile, the emblem on his forehead glowing.

Balder knelt down next to Rosa and held her in his arms. "Rosa! Rosa, please!" he pleaded, nearly breaking into tears. "I can't have failed again! I can't lose you again..."

"You saw the emblem on his forehead." Bayonetta said as she walked towards him. "He's the one you're really after."

"What?" Balder asked.

"You've been tricked, Balder." Dark Pit said bluntly.

"That guy's Loptr, and he's the one responsible for everything that's happened." Pit said.

"We need to get back to my time." Bayonetta said, clutching her Umbra Watch, which began glowing with power due to the influence of the moonlight. "We can open a portal from here." She looked up at the stained glass window on the ceiling. "That should do it." Using Witch Walk, she ran up the wall and walked on the ceiling, placing her Umbra Watch in the center of the ceiling.

The glass window began glowing with light. "Boys, time to go!" Bayonetta said. Pit and Dark Pit flew up through the portal. Balder, however, continued to cradle Rosa in his arms, too overcome with grief to move. "Balder! The dimensional portal is opening!" Bayonetta said. "We need to get back to my time!" But still, Balder would not move. "Quickly! There's no time!" she shouted.

Rosa slowly opened her eyes. "Balder, please take care of Cereza..." she said weakly. "Our dear, sweet child will awaken to her potential..." She mustered the strength to reach out and caress Balder's cheek. "She will awaken to the Eyes of the World..." With those final words, Rosa succumbed to her wounds and died in Balder's arms. "ROSA!" Balder screamed.

"Balder!" Bayonetta shouted outstretching her hand for him to grab onto. Fighting back the tears in his eyes, Balder gently laid Rosa on the ground. With renewed determination in his eyes, he leapt up at the ceiling and grabbed Bayonetta's hand. Bayonetta took one last look at the lifeless corpse of her mother and whispered "Mummy...?" as she and Balder were pulled into the portal.

Just as they left, Bayonetta's past self and Jeanne ran into the room. Jeanne sealed the door while Bayonetta ran to her mother. "Mummy! No!" she wept.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: Sovereign Power. Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ Returning to the present day, Bayonetta, Balder, and the twin angels race to the sacred mountain of Fimbulventr to stop Loptr in his mad scheme to obtain the Eyes of the World. Will our heroes prevail over the villainous prophet? Or will Loptr claim dominion over all? Everything's on the line in the epic conclusion of _Bayonetta 2!_**


	22. Ch 16: Sovereign Power Pt 1

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! Having finally made their way to the Clock Tower, Bayonetta and the twin angels helped Rosa and the Umbra Witches make their final stand against the Angels of Paradiso. Having been separated from Rosa during the battle, the trio encountered Loki, who was quickly revealed to be the evil Loptr. After an arduous battle, the trio landed in Crescent Valley where they reunited with Balder. Alas, they were too late to save Rosa from being murdered at the hands of Loptr. Now with Balder as their alley, the four must race to the mountain of Fimbulventr in hopes of stopping Loptr once and for all.**

 **Author's Note: This chapter will be split into two parts as it would be too long to write as one chapter. This part primarily focuses on the fight with Loptr. Part 2 is the fight with Aesir.**

In a flash of bright light, Bayonetta, Balder, and the angel twins arrived in the present-day Vigrid. "What is this place?" Balder asked.

"We're in my time." Bayonetta replied. "But there's not a moment to explain. We need to get to the sacred mountain now!"

"What is upon the mountain?" Balder asked.

"I don't know." Bayonetta said. "But it's where the god who created the Eyes of the World once lived. And now someone is after that power."

"The Eyes..." Balder repeated. "How will we reach that place? We are in Vigrid." At that moment, an earthquake began to rattle the valley. "Everyone, get ready to jump!" Bayonetta commanded.

"Jump?!" Balder exclaimed with clear concern.

"That wasn't a request. Go!" Bayonetta said as she transformed into her Panther form and sped off for the door. Balder transformed into his Wolf form and took off after her with Pit and Dark Pit following close behind. "Have you lost your sanity?!" he asked.

"Sanity is a requirement for our kind." Bayonetta replied. The four of them ran out the door as the ground began to crumble beneath their feet. The four leapt into the air and as if right on time, Jeanne flew in on her personal fighter jet. The four of them managed to land on the jet safely. "And your kind are...?" Balder asked.

"The kind of witches you don't _fuck_ with." came Bayonetta's rather crass reply. "Exemplary timing as always, Jeanne." Jeanne gave a thumbs-up in response. "I have to admit, I like you much better this way, Balder." Bayonetta said. "You actually shut up and follow directions."

Balder scoffed in response. "I do what I choose." he said. "Tell me, how do you know my name?" Bayonetta blinked in surprise and fumbled for an answer. "It's, uh, the name I heard that witch- the one you call Rosa- call out to you." she stammered, hoping it'd be enough of an answer. Balder raised an eyebrow in suspicion, but ultimately decided to drop the issue, instead turning to the twin angels.

And what's _your_ stake in all this?" Balder asked. Pit was ready to reply, but Dark Pit cut him off. "Short version:" he began. "We're from another world entirely and that mountain is our only ticket home."

"Plus, we wanna help save this world." Pit added, reaching out for a handshake. "By the way, my name's Pit, and this is Pittoo. It's nice to officially meet you, Balder. Especially now that we're not fighting each other." Balder just stared at the young angel. "Angels working with witches?" Balder asked, incredulous. "These are truly strange times." Nonetheless, Balder smiled and grabbed Pit's hand for a handshake. "Still, at least you're polite about it."

"Glad to see we're all fast friends." Bayonetta mused. "Anyway, this should let us reach Fimbulventr at mach speed."

"I would not be so sure of that, witch." Balder chuckled as he pointed towards the mountain, where there was a swarm of Angels and Infernal Demons surrounding it. "They seem to have other ideas."

"My my..." Bayonetta said. "Angels and demons working together. I suppose if they can get along, we can as well." Balder scoffed. "Consider this a momentary truce." he replied as he summoned his Holy Glaive. "At least until the encroachers are punished."

"That's _one_ way of putting it." Bayonetta replied. "Here's _mine_ :" Bayonetta drew her guns and dropped into fighting stance. "Time to tango!" Pit and Dark Pit drew their bows. "Let's do this!" they both said.

"No offense, little ones." Bayonetta said. "But it's gonna take more than two bows to take on that many angels and demons." Pit and Dark Pit exchanged glances and smiled. Pit then ran to the edge of the jet and dived off of it. "Little one, what are you doing?!" she asked, frantic.

"Great Sacred Treasure, activate!" Pit yelled as the Great Sacred Treasure materialized itself around him. "Pursuit mode engaged!" The Great Sacred Treasure disassembled itself and reshaped itself in the form of a jet with a gatling gun. The divine vehicle rose into the air and Pit turned to face Bayonetta with a smug smile.

"Where does he get those wonderful toys?" Bayonetta asked, smiling back in amusement.

"Ugh, showoff." Jeanne said, looking rather unimpressed.

"Say, Bayonetta..." Dark Pit began, holding two golden rings. They were an older model of Rodin's personal weapon, which was ironically named The Rodin. "These things can turn into whatever I want huh?"

"Pretty much." Bayonetta replied. Dark Pit put the bracelets on his wrists and dived off the jet. "Please work." the dark angel pleaded as he concentrated hard. The bracelets glowed with a golden that that quickly enveloped Dark Pit. When the light receded, Dark Pit found himself at the controls of a golden Arwing, the iconic vehicle of the _Star Fox_ franchise.

"Oh, hell yes!" he cheered as he flew into the air to meet Pit. "Now _this_ is where it's at!" The two angels flew into the swarm of angels and demons to face them in battle. Meanwhile, Balder and Bayonetta just stared at the twin angels. "Those are two of the strangest angels I have ever seen." Balder said.

"You have no idea." Bayonetta said.

"Hang on, you two, we're going in!" Jeanne said as she flew towards the mountain. A group of Cachets appeared and fired spinning drills at the jet. With skillful piloting, she dodged the drills and Bayonetta opened fire on the Cachets with her guns, channeling her dark magic through the guns to make the bullets stronger. One of the Cachets dived at the jet, only for Balder to slice it in half with a blade made from solar energy.

At that moment, however, a Glamor flew at the jet, firing ice shards from its mouth. Jeanne evaded the ice shards as Bayonetta fired on Glamor with her guns. Glamor attempted to slice at the jet with its claws, but Balder sliced its hand off with another solar blade. Glamor screeched in pain and attempted to swipe at the jet with its tail, but Jeanne barrel rolled out of the way and Bayonetta fired two Wicked Weave rocket punches, hitting the Glamor square in the marble face on its hood and killing it instantly.

Meanwhile, Pit flew through a swarm of Acceptances, opening fire with the Great Sacred Treasure's gatling gun. The Acceptances threw their lances at Pit, but the angel activated the Treasure's energy barrier, causing the lances to harmlessly bounce off. Pit then fired several homing missiles, taking out all of the Acceptances.

"Pit, watch your six!" Dark Pit said. Pit barrel rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding the blade of Valor. Riding on his shield, Valor tossed several bombs at Pit that homed in on the Great Sacred Treasure. "Pittoo! Need some help here!" Pit said.

"I got you!" Dark Pit said as he flew behind the bombs, shooting them down with the Arwing's lasers. While the twin angels were distracted, Valor turned its attention to Jeanne's jet. Elongating his blade, Valor attempted to skewer the jet, but Balder blocked the sword with his Glaive. Bayonetta summoned Malphas' wings and flew to the hilt of the sword where the face was and kicked it away.

Valor regained his balance and quickly retaliated by tossing his shield at Bayonetta. There was no time to dodge and it seemed it would be a direct hit when suddenly Pit jumped in front of her. The Great Sacred Treasure had taken on its humanoid Mech Armor mode. Pit then tossed the shield right back at Valor, which was the distraction Pit needed for him to draw the Great Sacred Treasure's laser sword and charge at Valor, slicing the angel in half.

"Nice save, Pit!" Bayonetta said. Pit gave a thumbs up in response, but they soon felt themselves being pulled in by a strong vacuum of wind. They turned behind them to see an Insidious attempting to inhale them all into its massive maw. "That guy's doing his best Andross impression!" Pit said.

"Well, if he wants to eat something, I've got the best snack for him!" Dark Pit said as he flew towards the Insidious. Once close enough, Dark Pit fired several Smart Bombs from his Arwing. The demonic manta ray closed its mouth as its body began to swell and inflate before finally perishing in a grand explosion.

"Alright, Pittoo!" Pit cheered.

"Impressive, young angel." Balder said as Bayonetta landed on the jet.

"Oh, I love the smell of Smart Bombs in the morning!" Dark Pit said. "Smells like victory."

"Quickly, to the temple!" Bayonetta said. "There's not a moment to lose!" The group continued to fly towards the mountain.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, at the temple...**_

"This piggyback ride is killing my back." Luka complained. "Why can't you be an adorable little Cerezita that weighs ten pounds? Well, at least your little good luck charm got me where I needed to go, right?" Having reached the doors of the temple, he set Loki down and took a moment to rest. "We're here, kid." he said to the unconscious Loki. "Right at the door of that temple you were so damn determined to get to."

He took a glance at the door. "Not sure if they're gonna roll out the red carpet for us-" Just as he finished his statement, the doors suddenly creaked open. "Well, that's convenient." Luka mused. He stepped inside and took a look around, but he didn't get very far as he soon had a hand around his throat. The hand of Loptr, to be exact.

"Hello there." Loptr greeted as he lifted Luka high in the air. "You have my sincerest thanks for bringing dear Loki to me. Sadly, your role in this little theater is over." Before he could do anything, however, a card embedded itself into his arm, causing him to drop Luka. Loptr turned to face Loki, who had just recovered.

"Wrong one, mate." Loki jeered. "You should be looking for your better half." Loptr chuckled as he pulled the card out of his arm and tossed it aside. "You've got your memories back." he said. "Convenient. But you're certainly not looking like my 'better' half. The only thing you have to offer me is your Sovereign Power. Then you will be _truly_ worthless."

Loki drew his cards and prepared to fight...

* * *

The group eventually reached Fimbulventr, but there was still a great number of angels and demons swarming about the mountain. "I'll take care of them, Cereza." Jeanne said. "Hurry to the temple!" Bayonetta nodded in reply and she and Balder leapt off the jet and landed on the temple grounds.

"Pittoo, think you can clean up out here?" Pit asked.

"Oh sure, leave me to do all the grunt work while you have all the fun." Dark Pit replied sarcastically. "Fine, just try not to have all the fun."

"I'll try my best." Pit laughed. The Great Sacred Treasure disappeared and Pit landed near Bayonetta and Balder. The three of them then ran inside the temple.

"Hey Jeanne." Dark Pit said. "Bet I can take out more targets than you."

"An angel challenging _me?_ " Jeanne chuckled. "Such arrogance. But why not? You're on!" With that, the two pilots flew into the swarm of angels and demons

In the temple, the trio ran up the stairs until they reached the door to the temple's inner sanctum. Bayonetta kicked the door down and the three ran inside. There, they saw Loptr with his hand around a struggling Loki's throat. "Little one!" Bayonetta shouted.

"Welcome to Fimbulventr." Loptr said. He turned to Balder. "The Lumen Sage. Right Eye of the Overseer." he turned to Bayonetta. "The Umbra Witch. Left Eye of the Overseer." He finally turned to Loki. "And the Sovereign Power that binds it altogether. All of the players have gathered onstage. And we've even brought an extra." He glanced at Pit, who glared back at return.

"Do take a bow, everyone." Loptr continued. "It's taken me quite a long time, 500 years to be precise, to get this little play together, and I'm so thrilled we can finally begin the closing act of this long drawn-out theater."

"Bayonetta! Get out of-!" Loptr held his hand tighter around Loki's throat. "Balder. This is what I promised you: Your chance at revenge. Accept it, freely." Loptr held out Loki as an offering to Balder. Balder summoned his Holy Glaive and walked towards Loptr. "What's he doing?!" Pit said as he tried to stop Balder. Bayonetta, however, grabbed his shoulder. "Pit." she began, whispering. "When I give the signal, you rush Loptr, while I grab Loki. Got it?"

Pit hesitated at first, but then nodded yes in reply. Balder stopped in front of Loptr and, after some hesitation, trusted his Glaive forward, striking Loptr directly in the face and destroying the gold plate covering it. Loptr staggered back as he dropped Loki. " _That_ is your revenge?" Loptr asked. "Is this not the one who destroyed your world? Who destroyed your life?! Surely this can't be all you wished to see."

Balder glared at Loptr as the rage pooled within him. He lashed out at Loptr with his Glaive, but the Prophet shot of beam of blue energy from his hand, forcing Balder to dodge. "Now!" Bayonetta shouted as he ran to grab Loki. Pit drew his Palutena Bow and charged at Loptr. Seeing Bayonetta going for Loki, Loptr prepared to fire another energy blast. Balder jumped in front of Bayonetta and blocked the energy blast, knocking him to the ground.

"Balder!" Bayonetta shouted. Pit fired several arrows at Loptr, all of which were blocked by his energy barrier. The angel separated his bow into twin blades and leapt at the Prophet. Loptr summoned one of his ethereal arms and slammed the angel to the ground. "Pit, are you alright?" Bayonetta asked.

"I've been better." Pit replied. Bayonetta glared at Loptr. "Who are you? The truth this time."

Loptr chuckled in response. "Such arrogance that you think you have the right to bark orders at a god. Very well. The two of us were once a single being. We were once the god Aesir. But this 'half' took pity upon you mortals and said he would awaken humans to the true nature of their existence. So he divided our divine power, and our very souls in two."

He looked down at the unconscious Loki. "We should have become mere shells... But this... _half_... left behind a certain power within himself in order to protect the balance our split brought the world. A 'Sovereign Power' to freely control the Eyes of the World. Unfortunately, this one made quite the miscalculation. He had not accounted for the power of evil intent, which grew as humanity prospered. I couldn't use the Sovereign Power to control the Eyes, so instead, I used the evil hearts of humans to begin to retrieve the power of the ancient god."

"So the war, the Witch Hunts, all this suffering, all of it was done for some damned power?!" Balder asked with outrage, his thoughts drifting towards the murdered Rosa. Loptr merely chuckled in response. "A necessary sacrifice, wouldn't you say?" Balder snarled with disgust.

"And all that remains is taking back the one power I do not yet have:" Loptr said. "The Sovereign Power. The power this one held within. You managed to escape 500 years ago, but it was merely a waiting game. Waiting for you to be reborn." A ghostly blue aura began to emanate from Loptr. "Now it is time for our powers to become one once again. And for me to ascend to the throne as Aesir, God of Chaos!"

Having heard enough, Bayonetta and Pit opened fire on Loptr with their respective weapons. Using his telekinesis, Loptr stopped the shots in midair. "Now, my ' _better_ ' half." Loptr said as he outstretched his arm, telekinetically lifting Loki off the ground. "It is time to restore your Sovereign Power to my hands." A blue aura began to leave Loki's body as Loptr drained the Sovereign Power out of him. The diamond emblem on Loki's forehead disappeared and the emblem on Loptr's forehead transformed into the symbol of Aesir. The symbol of Chaos.

"I now have the power to control the Eyes as I wish." Loptr said. "Shall I start with the Right Eye?" Loptr outstretched his left arm as his hand began to glow. Balder's right eye began glowing as his body was forcibly dragged towards Loptr like some twisted marionette. In a vain act of defiance, Balder attempted to impale Loptr in the face with his Holy Glaive, but Loptr nonchalantly moved his head to the side.

Loptr dropped Loki to the ground as he began extracting the Right Eye from Balder. Bayonetta ran and grabbed Loki. "Take him if it pleases you." Loptr said to Bayonetta. "He is naught but an empty container to me now. He's of no further use to me." Once he had drained the Right Eye out of Balder, he sent him flying back with a shockwave. Loptr's right eye began glowing. "Come now. It is time I receive your power, witch." Loptr said.

Bayonetta placed Loki on the ground and dropped into fighting stance, but before either of them could do anything, a cheering Luka swung in and grabbed Loki. "Don't worry, I got the kid." Luka said. "You've got my permission to show 'em your stuff, Bayonetta!"

"What on earth was _that?!_ " asked a surprised and bewildered Loptr.

"Just some fool always swinging in out of nowhere." Bayonetta replied, turning to Luka with a grateful smile. "Albeit with absolutely impeccable timing. I suppose not even a god can see him coming."

"Gods do not concern themselves with the machinations of insects." Loptr replied, having regained his composure. "Now then, Umbra Witch. The Left Eye of Darkness must return from whence it came."

"Then just try to take it back." Bayonetta said as she, Balder, and Pit prepared to fight. "You've destroyed more than you know." Loptr replied by calling down scores of meteors. Bayonetta and Balder used Witch Time and Light Speed to slow down the falling meteors, and Bayonetta used her Alraune whips to grab and throw them at Loptr.

Loptr used a barrier to defend against the meteors, but the moment he lowered it, he was vulnerable to a punch from Pit with his Taurus Arm. Balder followed up with several slashes from his Holy Glaive before blasting him away with a fireball. Bayonetta then delivered a Wicked Uppercut to launch him into the air, and used a Heel Stomp to send him crashing to the ground.

Loptr conjured several ice shards and tossed them at the trio. Balder countered by summoning a storm of peacock feathers, shattering the shards. Balder then tossed a sphere of lightning at Loptr, but the prophet swatted it away with his ethereal arm. However, he was too late to block an incoming shot from Pit's Leo Cannon that knocked him to the ground.

Bayonetta transformed into her panther form and charged at Loptr, dodging several energy blasts as she did. When close enough, she changed back to her human form and delivered several rapid punches before uppercutting him into the air. She then grabbed him by the ankle and threw him towards Pit. Pit pulled out his Capricorn Club and knocked him into the air.

Balder flew into the air and conjured a huge fireball before tossing it at Loptr, sending him crashing to the ground. "Did we get him?" Pit asked as Balder landed on the ground. The three of them cautiously waited for the smoke to clear when suddenly, two beams of energy shot forth from the dust cloud, knocking both Pit and Balder to the ground. Loptr emerged from the cloud completely unharmed.

"ARGEDCO!" Bayonetta chanted, summoning the demon Labolas. The demonic hound pounced on Loptr, but the prophet fired a blast of energy that obliterated the demon. "CANILU!" Bayonetta summoned the demon Hydra. The infernal serpent emerged from behind Loptr and coiled itself around him. It seemed like it had worked for a moment, but light began to erupt from Hydra and the demon perished in a great explosion.

Bayonetta was about to summon another Infernal Demon when Loptr rushed over and grabbed the witch by her throat, lifting her into the air. Bayonetta glared at Loptr as she struggled to escape his grip. "Impressive for a mortal." he said. "But in the end, you are only mortal. The Eyes of the World hold power, but their power came from that of a god. This god will see those powers returned!"

He held Bayonetta high as the Left Eye of Darkness was drained out of her body and absorbed into Loptr. The prophet then callously threw her aside like a piece of trash. His eyes were now glowing with the power of the Eyes of The World. The left eye was red and the right eye was blue. "And so it shall be." Loptr said. "The power of Aesir returns to me. And I shall rule over this land as time demands it!"

A bright light emanated from Loptr, engulfing the room and everyone in it. When the light faded, the room they were in was replaced with a swirling void of nothingness. Pit rushed to Bayonetta's side as they faced Loptr, whose appearance had changed radically. He now had glowing blue skin adorned with intricate gold markings on his body. The left side had diamond markings while the right side had circular markings. He wore large golden cuffs on his wrists and ankles and a golden frame that protected his face. Hovering near his back was a large Chaos symbol that served as makeshift wings.

"To be the Overseer of this world... To rule it... A power only meant for Aesir." Loptr said as he rose into the air. "Human free will is a joke; it is a worthless illusion. You need only obey me." An orb of energy began to form in Loptr's hand. "My will shall become that of the universe!" Before he could attack, however, Balder threw his Holy Glaive at Loptr's hand, dispelling the energy orb.

"Humans need not be told what their will shall be." Balder said as he struggled to rise to his feet. "We can create our _own_ world with our _own_ eyes!"

Loptr chuckled malevolently. "An indulgent statement of human folly." he replied. "Do you have any idea how much turmoil and confusion you have created?"

"We may not see our next step," Balder said as he began to march towards Loptr, "we may stumble, we may fall off the path. But we _always_ move forward! _That_ is the power of man! Bayonetta, shall we illustrate?" Bayonetta stood up next to Balder and cracked her neck a bit. "Let's rock! Little one?" Pit pressed down on the red stone on his fibula, summoning the Three Sacred Treasures. "Time to end this!"

The trio charged towards Loptr, ready to begin the ultimate clash.

* * *

 **Next Chapter Preview: Sovereign Power pt 2. Next time on _Bayonetta 2!_ Now empowered by the Eyes of the World, Loptr has ascended into the God of Chaos and Bayonetta, Balder, and Pit are all that stand between him and complete domination. Will our heroes be able to defeat the reborn god? Or will humanity find itself under Loptr's heel? The final battle begins on the epic conclusion of _Bayonetta 2!_**


	23. Ch 16: Sovereign Power Pt 2

**Previous Chapter Recap: Last time on Bayonetta 2! With Balder as their new ally, the heroes made fought their way to the sacred mountain of Fimbulventr to rescue Lori from Loptr's clutches. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to stop Loptr's from obtaining the Eyes of the World and ascending into the God of Chaos Aesir. Now the heroes must defeat the mad god and prevent his rule of humanity.**

 **Author's Note: Well, here it is. The final chapter. In hindsight, I don't think this story came out as well as I hoped it would, but it was an experiment and experiments don't always go as you'd like them to. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed reading it as I've enjoyed writing it.**

A groan escaped Loki as he stirred himself out of unconsciousness. He slowly opened his eyes to find himself back at the temple gates. "Where... Where am I?" Loki asked.

Safe and sound." Luke said. "We're at the temple gates."

"WHAT?!" Loki practically screamed. "What the hell am I doing here?! I need to get back there!"

"Whoa, kid. Are you out of your fucking mind?!" Luka pointed upwards, looking at the spatial distortion surrounding the mountain's summit. "You see what's going on up there, right?!"

"No fucking duh!" Loki replied. "And I'm the only one who can stop it!" He pulled out his card with the hole in it. "Remember my trump card? This thing is the only way to stop Loptr. Now, do you wanna have an argument about keeping me safe, or do you wanna save the human race?!" Luka hesitated for a moment, then grasped the bridges of his nose in exasperation. "I'm so gonna regret this." he muttered. "Come on."

Luka pushed the gates open and the two ran back inside the temple.

* * *

Loptr conjured two large orbs of energy and threw them at the trio. They dodged the the orbs and Bayonetta opened fire on Loptr. Slowing down time, Loptr brushed the bullets aside and fired a beam of energy at Bayonetta. Bayonetta turned into a swarm of bats and reformed in front of Loptr to deliver several punches to his face, ending with a roundhouse kick.

Loptr retaliated with a kick of his own, only for Bayonetta to duck and perform a sweep kick, knocking him off balance. Pit leapt into the air and performed a double-footed stomp on Loptr's face, sending him to the ground. Using Loptr as a spring, he leapt off of him and fired several arrows from his Bow of Light at point-blank range. Loptr rose into the air and conjured two giant ethereal arms in an attempt to crush them.

Pit blocked with his Mirror Shield while Bayonetta defended with her guns. Seeing an opening, Balder rushed forward and delivered a dropkick to Loptr's face. He then followed up with several fireballs. Bayonetta fired two missiles from her Lt. Col. Kilgore rocket launchers while Pit fired a charged arrow. For a moment, it seemed to work, but when the smoke cleared, Loptr stood completely unharmed.

"It's flattering to see the kind of show you put on for your most dangerous enemies." Loptr said. "But ultimately it's meaningless. Let me show you what I mean." With a wave of his hand, Loptr opened a portal behind him and out from it flew a fleet of Vigrid's Valkyrie Military Transports. The planes began carpet-bombing the arena. "Okay, that's just cheating!" Pit complained.

Slowing down time with their powers, Bayonetta and Balder grabbed the bombs and threw them back at Loptr, who merely conjured an energy barrier to defend against it. Loptr then rushed forward and punched Balder away before turning and swatting away Bayonetta and Pit with a single kick. Loptr then rose into the air and conjured several energy bullets around him before raining them down on the trio.

The trio dodged the energy bullets and Bayonetta attempted a rising Afterburner Kick only for Loptr to grab her by the ankle and throw her at Balder. Pit flew in behind him and tried to slash at him with his blades, but Loptr turned and grabbed the angel by the throat. The divine being chuckled darkly.

" _You_... You and your friends have been quite the thorn in my side." Loptr said. "The Eyes of the World grant me sight beyond sight. I can see your world as well. A world filled with false gods and idols. Before you die, you can take comfort in knowing that once I have brought this world under control, your world shall be next." Pit glared at Loptr, snarling. "You. Won't. Get. The. _Chance!_ " Pit shouted as he threw a smart bomb right at Loptr's face, staggering him and forcing him to release Pit.

Pit then pulled out his Cancer Claws and delivered several rapid punches to Loptr's face before kicking him away. Bayonetta kneed him in the chin and kicked him in the stomach, blasting him away with the Lt. Col. Kilgore rocket launcher summoned on her heel. Balder separated his Holy Glaive into twin swords and dived at Loptr, slashing away at him. Loptr summoned his ethereal arms and pushed Balder away with a double palm thrust.

"Insects." Raising his hand, Loptr created another portal, this one right above them. From the portal emerged a "System 16" Stunparon satellite. The satellite opened fire with its laser, completely destroying the platform they were on and knocking Balder aside. Bayonetta summoned Malphas' wings and Pit activated the Pegasus Wings to stay aloft.

"Now do you realize your own futility?" Loptr taunted. "Mortals cannot triumph over a god."

"Newsflash, Loptr." Bayonetta replied as she activated Umbran Climax. "You're not the first god I've killed."

"Dude, I take on gods every day." Pit boasted. "You don't scare me." Loptr attacked by opening multiple portals and unleashing a swarm of Gjallarhorn surface-to-air missiles. They dodged the missiles and Bayonetta used her Alraune whip to grab Loptr by the neck and pull him towards her so she could deliver a Wicked Punch. Pit flew at him and delivered another punch with his Taurus Arm, then fired several arrows of light at him.

Loptr opened a portal and summoned the satellite once again, having it fire a sweeping laser at the two heroes. Bayonetta transformed into her Crow Within to dodge the laser as she flew at Loptr, firing feathers at the God of Chaos. Loptr retaliated with a beam of energy, but Bayonetta dissolved into a swarm of bats to avoid it. Once reforming, she pulled out her Takemikazuchi hammer and attempted to bludgeon him, but Loptr blocked it with the cuffs on his arms.

Pit seized the opportunity and rushed over to punch Loptr in the gut. Bayonetta then followed up with a punishing headbutt. Wiping the blood from his nose, Loptr opened another portal, this time summoning an O'Neill cylindrical Space Colony and sending it hurtling at the duo. " _Are you kidding me?!_ " Pit shouted. Bayonetta flew into the colony and grabbed the antenna. Mustering all of her strength, she slowly flipped the colony around and threw it back at Loptr.

Loptr screamed and threw up an energy barrier as the colony collided with him and exploded. The force of the explosion was strong enough to shatter his barrier and send Loptr flying, but he quickly regained his balance. "Man, this guy's tough!" Pit said.

"He's a god. What did you expect?" Bayonetta replied. "But still, we have to keep fighting! If he wins, everyone loses."

"Right." Pit said.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, back at the throne room...**_

Luka and Loki made it to the throne room. Still exhausted and woozy from having his Sovereign Power drained from him, Loki slowly made his way to Aesir's throne. "Kid, you gonna be ok?" Luka asked.

"His first mistake was thinking that all I had to me was some shit Sovereign Power." Loki said as he pulled out a few cards. "Stupid fool doesn't get why _I'm_ the better half."

"I thought you were all out of cards!" Luka said.

"A real trump card's the one you keep hidden until just the right timing, mate." Loki said as he laid his cards on the table. He then flipped the cards over. Three of the cards depicted the Eyes of the World, the fourth card was the card Bayonetta shot, and the fifth and final card depicted a dark void. Once he flipped the cards over, they began glowing with a blue light.

* * *

"I trust you're both ready for oblivion?" Loptr mockingly asked. "Of course, I really don't care if you're ready or not." Before he could do anything, however, he felt a sharp pain in his head, as if something was being erased. The Eyes of the World disappeared, returning his eye color to its normal blue. His blue skin and gold markings disappeared, the gold accessories he wore lost their color and crumbled to pieces, and Loptr himself shrank back down to his original size. The dimensional void around them dissolved and they found themselves back in the throne room.

Loptr turned to the throne to find Loki and Luka there. "Wh-what have you _done?!_ " he asked.

"The _real_ power of Lord Aesir, the God of Chaos, is 'nothingness'." Loki explained. "The power to erase anything and everything from the world. Even the very things that created it."

"NO!" Loptr screamed.

"Whoa! Hold on for a second, kid." Luka said. "What happens to the world if you-"

"Any good card player's a gambler, right?" Loki asked. "Either the world will be destroyed, or it will create its own path. Human free will will determine which way things go."

"You worthless little BASTARD!" Loptr said as he charged at Loki. Before he could attack however, Bayonetta grabbed his wrist. The Umbra Witch was glaring daggers at the fallen god. "My, my, how the mighty have fallen." On the last word, Bayonetta twisted Loptr's arm, causing him to cry out in pain. She then kneed him in the chest and punched him in the face, sending him flying across the room until he landed at the feet of a revived and furious Balder.

Balder grabbed Loptr by the hair and pulled him up, looking him square in the eye. "This is for Rosa." In his other hand, Balder charged up a fireball and fired it at point-blank range, blasting him away. Loptr struggled to get up, but was soon kicked to the ground again. This time by Dark Pit. The Rodin had transformed from a golden Arwing to a golden version of the Great Sacred Treasure's Mech Armor Mode. Having seen the spatial distortion around the mountain disappear, he called off his contest with Jeanne to help Pit.

"Don't worry, I'm here to-" Before he could say anymore, Dark Pit looked around to see that everyone was pretty much okay. "Aw man, I missed it!" he complained.

"ENOUGH!" Loptr shouted as he staggered and struggled to get to his feet. "I am a god! You're all beneath me! Every last one of-" Loptr's tirade was cut off by Dark Pit, who grabbed him by the head. "You talk too much." Dark Pit said as he began slamming Loptr around before throwing him away. "Puny god." he said.

"I think it's time to end this." Bayonetta said. "Don't you agree, Balder?"

"Indeed." Balder said. The two of them began to dance. "A GRAA ORS! TABAORD! AVAVAGO!" Bayonetta chanted. Balder then followed up with a chant of his own. "SIZICIEL! HONONOL! OBELISON!" Their hair swirled together in a brilliant spiral of black and white as a portal opened up. This portal was a mixture of the Umbran and Lumen portals.

A fierce rumbling shook the mountain as something emerged from the portal. What emerged was a gigantic woman who looked to be a fusion of Queen Sheba and Jubileus the Creator. The left side of her body was that of Queen Sheba while the right side of her body was that of Jubileus the Creator. Her "dress" was a mixture of Bayonetta's and Balder's hair. This was Omne, the Controller of Creation.

"The Controller of Creation?!" Loptr shouted with awe, unconsciously backing away. "I-I-I thought she was just a legend!"

"More like _legendary!_ " Bayonetta replied. "Omne, dear, care to do the honors?" Omne responded with a wink and began charging energy in her feet. Once charged, she ran forward and delivered a dropkick so powerful that the force of it separated Loptr's soul from his body. His body was sent flying out of the mountain and into the horizon. Outside, Jeanne saw Loptr's body heading towards her.

"That's my cue." she said as she opened the cockpit and stood up. "OXEX RACLIR!" she chanted, forming a portal to Inferno. From it emerged the demon Gomorrah, who wasted no time devouring Loptr's body. Its hunger sated, Gomorrah gave a satisfied roar before retreating into Inferno. "Good bad dog." Jeanne said with a smirk.

Back at the mountain, Loptr rose to his feet. He was now nothing more than an incorporeal spirit. "If it comes to this... It will just begin anew." he said. "I'll return to another place in time. Create a new era... One that cowers to _my_ will!" Loptr outstretched his hand and created a portal behind him. "Shit! He's trying to shed his body and return to the spirit realm!" Loki said. "He'll just be reborn in a different era!"

Balder jumped in front of the portal just as Loptr started to run towards it, causing him to run right into his body. Loptr furiously struggled to escape, but Balder's own will prevented him from doing so. "What are you trying to do?" Loptr asked. "Do you think you can contain my power? Have you lost your sanity?!"

"Sanity is a requirement for our kind!" Balder replied, echoing Bayonetta's earlier statement. "You will _never_ see another era trapped inside me. Only an endless circle of time!"

"Mate, that's pure evil you're dealing with!" Loki warned. "It's a poison that will live inside of you forever!"

"Then so be it." Balder replied solemnly, his body emanating a golden light. "What's wrong can be made right through human hands!" With a shout of exertion, Balder sealed Loptr's soul within his body. "Cereza... listen to me." Balder said.

"You... you know my name?" Bayonetta asked.

"If I stray from my path..." Balder began. "You... must be the one. The one to stop me." Struggling to fight the tears in her eyes, Bayonetta cried out, "Balder!"

"Cereza... Just one time, call me... Daddy." Balder pleaded. Bayonetta hesitated for a moment, but soon whispered, "Daddy." Balder closed his eyes and smiled. "Thank you, Cereza." he said. "My dear, sweet child." With that, he was pulled back into the portal. "DADDY!" Bayonetta yelled as she impulsively reached out to grab him. But she was too late as the portal disappeared. Bayonetta silently wept.

Pit walked over to her. "Bayonetta...?" he asked. "Are you..."

"I'll be fine." Bayonetta replied as Jeanne entered the inner sanctum. She turned to see Loki climbing down the stairs, only to collapse on the ground. "Little one!" Bayonetta ran to Loki's side and knelt down next to him, cradling him in her arms. "It seems... the world's still in one piece." Loki said.

"It seems so." Bayonetta replied. Loki got out of Bayonetta's arms and sat down next to her. "You don't need the Eyes of the World, love." Loki said. "I believe in your kind. You can create whatever future you desire."

"What will happen to you?" Bayonetta asked.

"I think I'll take a little break." Loki replied. "This world doesn't need me anymore, right?"

"Will I see you again?" Bayonetta asked.

"Hard to say." Loki replied. "I'll come back to this world someday, so if you're lucky, maybe we'll meet again, love."

"Little one, I-" Bayonetta started to say, but Loki cut her off. "I'm not little." he said. "And I have a name. It's Aesir- I mean, my name is Loki. And I think you can quit treating me like a kid now."

"Then I'll call you by your name when I see you again. As a man." Bayonetta replied with a playful poke on Loki's head. Loki sighed in exasperation. "Bloody hell." he said. "That's fine, I guess. At least I know what I want to be when I grow up, right?!"

"Still, it's kinda hard to believe you're a god." Pit said.

"Yeah, kinda hard for me too, mate." Loki replied. "You guys really helped save the world."

"Protecting humanity is our job, after all." Pit replied with a smile.

"Well, I think I've got enough power for one last trick." Loki rose to his feet and outstretched his hand to create another portal. "That should lead back to your world." he said. "But you better hurry. It's not gonna last long. Especially now that I'm fading away." Loki's body began emanating blue light. "See you around, mates."

"Goodbye, little one." Bayonetta replied. "And you can call me Cereza."

"Sorry, love, but you still don't strike me as a Cereza." Loki laughed as his body faded into particles.

"Come on, Pit, it's time to go." Dark Pit said.

"Well, Bayonetta, it's been one crazy adventure, but I'd be lying if I said that it wasn't fun." Pit said.

"Quite right." Bayonetta replied.

"You know, I'm tempted to kill the both of you and take your laurel crowns as trophies." Jeanne began. "But you _did_ save my soul, so I guess you're not all bad... for angels that is."

"I'll... take that as a compliment." Pit chuckled nervously.

"Think we'll meet again?" Bayonetta asked.

"Well, there's the Smash Tournament." Pit said. "If you're chosen to participate, we might end up meeting again."

"Oh? Well it's only fair to warn you: I won't hold back." Bayonetta said.

"I wouldn't have it any other way!" Pit laughed as he and Dark Pit walked through the portal, finally returning to their world.

* * *

 _ **Meanwhile, in Dyntos' Workshop...**_

Dyntos and the others waited anxiously for any sign from the twin angels The tracers on their bracelets had been disabled so they were unable to track them. Just when it seemed all hope was lost, a portal suddenly opened up in the workshop. "What the heck?!" Came Dyntos' startled reply. Arlon and Phosphora dropped into battle stances as they prepared to meet whatever would emerge from the portal.

What came out of the portal, however, was Pit and Dark Pit. "Hey guys. Sorry to keep you waiting!" With joyful tears in her eyes, Palutena ran forward and embraced the twin angels. "Guys, I'm so happy you're okay!" she cried.

"Well, look who's back." Viridi said. "About time too."

"It warms my heart to see you both back safe and sound." Arlon chimed in.

"So what happened?" Phosphora asked. "From what Viridi told us, you guys had quite an adventure."

Pit and Dark Pit exchanged glances at each other and said. "You don't know the half of it!"

* * *

 _ **500 years earlier in Bayonetta's world...**_

At Crescent Valley, amidst the storm and ruins, a lone figure floated in the sky near the Umbra Witch and Lumen Sage statues. It was Balder. The Lumen Sage's robe was now outfitted with several peacock feathers protruding from the back. Balder slicked his hair back, revealing a diamond mark on his forehead. With his power, he summoned a stone sword and had it impale the statue of the Umbra Witch.

Satisfied with his deed, Balder donned a golden mask that covered the left side of his face, giving a fiendish smirk. The Lumen Sage had completely succumbed to Loptr's evil. Gone was the noble warrior known as Balder. Now there was only Father Balder, the Tyrant Sage.

* * *

 _ **Present Day in Bayonetta's world...**_

It had been just after Christmas. Bayonetta and Jeanne were in the city doing some after-Christmas shopping. Bayonetta was wearing a pink version of her dress that was torn a few days ago. Jeanne walked out of the store, wearing a black dress of her own. "Sales are _so_ much better after the holidays." Jeanne said as the two walked down the street, right in front of the toy store.

"And the distinct lack of acts of God doesn't hurt either." Bayonetta added. "Can you believe they tore my dress to shreds? Right about here, I think it was."

"Absolutely criminal." Jeanne said. "There _is_ such a thing as a time and a place."

"Time? Oh..." Bayonetta's mind drifted back to Loki. At that moment, a couple pushing a baby carriage walked by the two witches. The baby dropped what appeared to be a card. One of Loki's tarot cards to be exact. Bayonetta reached down to pick it up, only for the wind to carry it away. Bayonetta looked on with a content smile and a lollipop in her mouth. "Cereza? Cat got your tongue?" Jeanne asked.

"No... No, I'm fine." Bayonetta replied. That's when pieces of paper started falling from the sky. On closer inspection, they were fliers advertising the Gates of Hell. Just then, Luka drove by in a pink car with Rodin standing next to him and tossing out fliers. "Hey, c'mon! How long do I have to keep doing this?" Luka whined. "Investigative journalism is big in January!"

"The Gates of Hell goes down, and so does your anonymous source, my friend." Rodin replied matter-of-factly. "Now keep driving."

"Alright, alright. I get it. I owe you." Luka said. "But I'm not the one with the endless tab. Where is that deadbeat, anyway?!" One of Rodin's fliers flew right in Luka's face. He managed to get it off, but was forced to swerve out of the way of an incoming car. "Well, those two are getting along nicely." Bayonetta mused. "Now to get those new heels. Come along, Enzo." she turned to give Enzo her bag only to drop it on the ground when she realized Enzo wasn't there.

"Damnit! I forgot Enzo!" Bayonetta exclaimed.

"I was wondering why there wasn't a short, foulmouthed Italian in earshot." Jeanne said. "Where did you leave him?"

"He said... he'd wait for me on the plane..." Bayonetta's ears soon picked up on the sound of a plane's propeller. The two witches turned to see Enzo's plane heading straight for them, being chased by a group of Acceptances. "Again?!" she asked, exasperated.

"What a day! WHAT A DAY!" Enzo screamed as he lost control of his plane, its propeller flying off and crashing through the store. The out-of-control plane closed in on the duo, but they kicked it into the air. Leaping through a portal to Paradiso, they landed on the plane. Bayonetta looked down at her dress, which was torn and had black oil staining the fur, and growled in frustration. "Wonderful! That's the second dress in a month!" she huffed.

"Another day in the life, Cereza." Jeanne replied. "Maybe you should try being nice to Enzo for a change?" Bayonetta shot Jeanne a look that pretty much said "yeah right". She then directed her gaze downward, noticing a tear in Jeanne's pants right along her butt. Noticing the tear, Jeanne hurriedly moved next to Bayonetta to cover it up. "Let's save the chit-chat for later." Jeanne said. "We've got work to do."

"Now you're speaking my language." Bayonetta said. "There's only one way to ring in the new year." The two witches tore off their outfits, revealing Jeanne's skin-tight red biker outfit and Bayonetta's Umbran battle suit underneath. The two witches drew their guns and prepared to fight. "Let's dance, boys!" Bayonetta said.

 _ **The End!**_

* * *

 **Well, that ends my tale. Onward to Sonic Mania!**


End file.
